Jan. 2, 2010

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Shelvin Mack scored 25 points to lead Butler to an 80-67 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Panthers (8-7, 1-3 Horizon) pulled within six points early in the second half but could never get any closer in falling for the third-straight time.

Butler (10-4, 3-0 Horizon), ranked 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll, also got 16 points from Gordon Hayward and 12 from Shawn Vanzant. The Bulldogs have won 20 of their last 21 regular season league home games.

Anthony Hill scored 18 points to lead Milwaukee, which shot 46.4 percent from the floor but could not overcome a 23-11 scoring deficit from the foul line. James Eayrs added 11 and Ja'Rob McCallum nine for the Panthers.

The Bulldogs also held a big edge on the glass, outrebounding UWM, 38-24, while tallying 20 second-chance points.

"The difference in the game was free throws and second-chance points. I think that's pretty obvious to everybody sitting in this room," UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. "(Butler) is a very disciplined, very solid team, so it's exactly what I expected."

Butler steadily built its first-half lead. The advantage was 12-8 five minutes in and still 18-14 at the midway point of the half. The Bulldogs pushed their edge into double digits with a 6-0 run and then went up 30-16 on a Mack steal and layin with 5:48 left.

Milwaukee didn't go away, though, with a basket from Eayrs and a free throw from Hill bringing the Panthers back within 30-21. The Bulldogs again ran out to a 14-point advantage, but UWM finished the half with a flurry. A three-pointer by Lonnie Boga in between four points from Hill brought Milwaukee within 37-28 at the half.

The Panthers closed within 37-31 on a three-point play by Eayrs as the second half started, but Butler countered with seven in a row to reclaim control. Milwaukee would never get closer than 11 points after that.

UWM returns to action Tuesday night, stepping back outside of league play for a game at SIU Edwardsville. The game starts at 7 p.m.