Butler sweeps Dodge City in 81-56 win

For the first time this season, the Butler men have swept a conference opponent as the Grizzlies rolled to an 81-56 victory over the visiting Dodge City Conquistadors on Wednesday at the Power Plant.

The win is the third straight for Butler, which has won those three by an average margin of 19 points per game.

Dodge City led just once in the game and that was early on at 5-3. Butler would quickly regain the lead and go up 14-7 after back-to-back buckets by Ketarrious Bouchum.

Dodge City would battle back and tie the game 23-23 with 6:59 left in the half, but that only triggered the Grizzlies. 

Butler would answer with a 12-0 run, as Bouchum scored and Jared Armstrong cashed in three straight layups. Russell Smith and Karlon McSpadden also score and Butler led 35-23 with 2:42 left in the first half.

Butler would still lead by a dozen at the half, up 37-25.

The Grizzlies, who have surrendered double-digit leads at home multiple times this season, looked to be in danger of doing so again early in the second half. Dodge City would score six straight points, cutting Butler's lead in half at 37-31.

The Grizzlies responded, however, with two free throws by Anthony Bratton and a McSpadden layup to push the lead back to 10.

Butler took control of the contest at that point, and after a layup by Justin Criddle with 9:26 remaining, the Grizzlies were up by 20 at 62-42.

Butler would lead by as many as 27, rolling to their most lopsided victory in conference play this season.

Armstrong led five Butler players in double figures with 18 points, while McSpadden had 15. Bouchum had 13, Bratton scored 12 and Smith added 10. Bratton also pulled down 12 rebounds, giving him double-doubles in each of his past two home games.

Butler is now 11-12 overall, 8-13 in Jayhawks Conference play. The Grizzlies will be on the road for their next two games, Saturday at Hutchinson and next Wednesday at Cloud County before returning home to face Pratt on Saturday, Feb. 17.