GAME NOTES: The 15th-ranked Butler Bulldogs are set to do battle with the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers in a Horizon League tilt. Loyola is 6-0 this season when it scores at least 70 points and 0-12 when it fails to reach that mark. The Ramblers, who are 2-6 in HL action, have lost five of their last six games overall, including a heart-breaking 53-52 setback to Wright State on Saturday. As for Butler, it bounced back from a loss to Cleveland State last Thursday by knocking off Youngstown State on Saturday in a 78-69 final. The Bulldogs are 17-2 overall and 6-2 in league play, and while they have only played six home games to date, all six have resulted in wins. Butler holds a 44-29 advantage in the all-time series with Loyola-Chicago, including wins in 17 of the last 21 meetings with the Ramblers.

Generating offense has proven to be problematic for Loyola-Chicago this season, as the team is netting a mere 62.7 ppg on 40.5 percent shooting from the floor, including 27.1 percent from three-point range. J.R. Blount leads the Ramblers with 15.7 ppg, but his 37.2 percent field goal efficiency leaves much to be desired. Justin Cerasoli checks in with 12.6 ppg, and Leon Young adds 12.1 ppg to the mix. In the one-point loss to Wright State on Saturday, Cerasoli scored 16 points off the bench on the strength of a 3-of-4 showing from three-point range. Blount tallied 11 points for Loyola, which connected on only 34 percent of its shots from the floor.

Mike Green leads Butler in scoring with 15.3 ppg, and he is also tops with 6.0 rpg and 92 assists. Clearly, Green is one of the most complete players in the Horizon League. A.J. Graves checks in with 13.8 ppg, but his 37.6 percent shooting from the floor leaves much to be desired. Matt Howard is netting 13.6 ppg for the Bulldogs, and Pete Campbell is the fourth and final double-digit scorer with his 11.3 ppg. Butler is averaging 69.1 ppg through 19 outings while limiting the opposition to 58.3 ppg. In the road victory over Youngstown State last time out, Howard scored 20 points to lead the way. Green had 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, while Campbell tallied 19 points off the bench. The Bulldogs managed to win the game by nine points despite surrendering 51 percent shooting from the floor to the Penguins.

Butler should have little trouble knocking off Loyola tonight, as the Bulldogs are the better team and have the obvious advantage of playing at home.