Matt Howard, left, is fouled as he shoots over Cleveland State's Chris Moore.

Feb. 16, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Matt Howard scored 17 points, and No. 9 Butler defeated Cleveland State 51-46 on Saturday to avenge one of its two losses this season.

A.J. Graves added 15 points for the Bulldogs (24-2, 13-2 Horizon League), who won their eighth straight.

Cedric Jackson scored 20 points and J'Nathan Bullock added 11 for Cleveland State (17-11, 10-6), which had won three in a row. Bullock had averaged 26.3 points in Cleveland State's previous three games, but the Bulldogs held him to 5-for-15 shooting.

Cleveland State beat Butler 56-52 on Jan. 17, the Bulldogs' last loss.

Cleveland State shot 50 percent or better in its previous two games, wins over Wisconsin-Green Bay and Valparaiso, but the Vikings shot just 31 percent against Bulldogs.

Butler's strong defensive effort came after the Bulldogs allowed Youngstown State to shoot 58 percent on Thursday.

Cleveland State started the second half with an 11-3 run. A three-point play by Jackson cut Butler's eight-point halftime lead to 38-36. Minutes later, a layup by Bullock tied the game at 40.

Julian Betko and Pete Campbell hit 3-pointers to help the Bulldogs take a 48-42 lead with 9 minutes left. Neither team scored again until Cleveland State's George Tandy made two free throws with 3:24 to play. The Vikings never got closer.

Butler helped Cleveland State by making only 11 of 20 free throws.

Butler led by four points in the first half before going on a 10-3 run to take a 29-18 lead. The run was part of a nearly 8-minute stretch in which the Bulldogs held the Vikings without a field goal.

Howard scored 14 points to help Butler take a 33-25 halftime lead. Butler shot 53 percent in the first half while Cleveland State shot 32 percent.