Butler used a fast start to cruise to a 70-45 win Saturday afternoon over visiting St. John's. In front of a sell-out crowd on Coaches vs. Cancer weekend, the Bulldogs improved to 15-7 on the season and 5-4 in BIG EAST play. The Red Storm fall to 10-12 (0-10).
 
The Bulldogs built a 19-2 lead less than eight minutes in after hitting eight of their first 12 attempts from the field. St. John's countered with a 1-12 start to the game. Butler cooled off as the half progressed but a strong defensive effort led to a 37-15 halftime advantage. The 15 points were the fewest for a Butler opponent this season other than allowing 13 to Saint Louis on Dec. 2.
 
"The week off was really needed for some rest and recovery," said coach LaVall Jordan of not having a midweek game after playing at DePaul a week ago. "We had a great week of practice and our second unit really pushed us each day. We got out to a great start and the defensive effort obviously stands out. This was a more complete performance than we have had the last few times out and a win that will hopefully carry some momentum into the next one."
 
Butler's defensive effort was so strong that the Bulldogs posted a 25-point win despite shooting only 40 percent from the field, the team's second-worst shooting performance over the most recent 11 games. The Red Storm were limited to 29-percent shooting, including 5-of-27 in the first half.
 
Kelan Martin led the Bulldogs with 19 points, including four three-pointers. He passed Billy Shepherd to move into eighth place on the Butler career scoring list; he now has 1,736 career points. He added five rebounds and two steals.
 
Tyler Wideman posted a career-best 11 rebounds in the game. Paul Jorgensen had 13 points, followed by 12 from Kamar Baldwin. Baldwin added seven rebounds and five assists. Aaron Thompson's eight points included the first three-pointer of his Butler career. Twelve of Butler's 22 field goals were from behind the arc.
 
The Bulldogs improved to 11-1 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season.
 
Tariq Owens led St. John's with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Red Storm's other four starters each entered the game averaging double figures. None of the four hit the mark. Butler's defense limited Shamorie Ponds to two points on 0-for-12 shooting. He entered the contest averaging 20.0 points per game.
 
The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday night, traveling to Marquette for a 9 p.m. (Eastern) tip. The game will be broadcast nationally on FS1. Butler returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse a week from today, hosting DePaul at Noon.