Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Matt Howard totaled a game-high 19 points and added five rebounds as the 14th-ranked Butler Bulldogs beat up Loyola-Chicago, 66-55, at the Joseph J. Gentile Center.

Mike Green added 15 points, five rebounds and six assists for the Bulldogs (14-1, 3-1 Horizon League), who have won six straight.

J.R. Blount had 16 points, while Andy Polka added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Ramblers (5-10, 1-4), who have dropped three straight.

The Bulldogs started the game with a 14-2 run, which included six points from Howard, a pair of three-pointers from A.J. Graves and an Avery Jukes jumper to cap the run, a bit over five minutes in.

Later in the half, the Ramblers used a 7-0 run and trailed, 19-15, on a Tracy Robinson jumper with a bit over seven minutes left.

Butler, though, scored the next five points and eventually took a 29-21 lead into the locker room.

A 9-0 run from Loyola early in the second half got the team to within three points, 35-32, on a three-pointer from Robinson a bit over five minutes in.

It stayed close for the next couple of minutes, but Butler, holding a 43-39 lead, took control of the game as Julian Betko's three-pointer with 9:21 to play keyed an 11-1 run and the Bulldogs had a 54-40 lead on Zach Hahn's trey with 6:24 to play.

The Ramblers were unable to cut into the deficit as the Bulldogs hung on for the win.