Butler's senior leader, Matt Howard - who was the Horizon League's Player of the Year as a sophomore - is making a bid for the same honor this season.Through Friday night's 81-75 win over Wisconsin-Green Bay, Howard led the Bulldogs in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks, and, conference-wide, was second in both scoring and rebounding.
Howard aided his cause, and that of the Bulldog's quest for their fifth straight Horizon League regular season title, with 29 points and 16 boards, leading Butler to their 14th win against 6 losses. Tied with Cleveland State and Wright State (who beat Butler, 69-64, this past Sunday) in second place at 6-2 in the Horizon, the trio is chasing 7-1 Valparaiso for the league's top spot.
The Friday night effort by Howard was his fifth double-double of the season. He's scored in double figures in 18 of Butler's 20 games this season.
Butler defeated Valparaiso, 76-59, back on January 1st, and the two teams will meet in a rematch - at Valparaiso - on January 29, the first of three straight road games for the Bulldogs.
