Box Score Career-high performances from Butler's two All-BIG EAST selections paced the Bulldogs in an 89-73 win over visiting SIU-Edwardsville Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Senior Kellen Dunham had 32 points on 10-of-15 shooting, while Roosevelt Jones had 11 points and a career-high 11 assists. With the win, Butler improves to 4-1. SIUE falls to 1-4.
After SIUE took a 41-40 lead less than two minutes into the second half, Butler uncoiled a decisive 22-6 run over the next seven minutes to take a 62-47 lead that the Bulldogs would not relinquish. Dunham had eight points in that stretch.
The Bulldogs shot 57 percent for the game as five Bulldogs had double figures. The double-double is Jones' tenth of his Butler career, but the first to include assists. Dunham matched his career-high of 32 points, set two years ago today against Washington State in Orlando.
Grant Fiorentinos led SIUE with 17 points, but only two came in the second half. Butler held a slight 39-38 halftime lead, but forced the visiting Cougars into 10 second-half turnovers to help extend the lead.
A sluggish first half by Butler included seven turnovers and the Cougars out-rebounding the home team. Three consecutive Dunham three-pointers got the Butler advantage to 25-18 in the first half before SIUE responded with a 9-0 run of its own.
"Credit our guys for responding on a night when we didn't play well," said Butler coach Chris Holtmann. "We were way more active in the second half, getting to 50/50 balls after getting beat to almost every one of those in the first half. Our guys know that we need to play a lot better."
The Bulldogs went 22 of 32 from the free throw line as the game included 50 fouls and 61 free throw attempts. Dunham made seven of his eight attempts. Dating back to last season, he made 24 straight at the charity stripe before the lone miss today.
The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday with the team's only true road game of the non-conference season, traveling to Cincinnati for a 7 p.m. tip. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network, while Mark Minner and Nick Gardner will have the radio call. Cincinnati is 7-0 after defeating George Washington Saturday to win the Barclays Center Classic.
