• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Campbell leads Butler to rout of Detroit

Mar 2, 2008 - 1:11 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Pete Campbell made sure Butler finished its regular season on a high note.

Campbell sank a career-high eight 3-pointers and finished with 24 points as the 13th-ranked Bulldogs rolled to an easy 65-31 victory over Detroit in the Horizon League on Saturday.

Butler (27-3, 16-2 Horizon) had already clinched the top seed in the league tournament with a 66-61 victory over Wright State on Thursday. The Bulldogs have a bye into the semifinals and will host that contest and the tournament championship game if they advance.

Campbell said it was important for the Bulldogs to build momentum heading into the postseason.

"That's something we definitely talked about," he said. "We didn't want to come out, lay an egg and then have to think about it for a whole week (before) the conference tournament. We looked at it as a challenge."

Campbell got the Bulldogs off to a quick start, draining four early 3-pointers for a 16-3 lead less than eight minutes in. For the game, he was 8-of-12 from the arc.

"Once Pete hits a couple, you really need to find him," Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens said. "Finding Pete is a positive thing because he can go on a run."

"Campbell's one of the best shooters in college basketball," Detroit interim coach Kevin Mondro said. "I love watching him play, but don't like competing against him."

Detroit (7-22, 3-15) responded by scoring the next five points, on a basket and free throw by Nemanja Jokic and a jumper from Michael Harrington to pull within 16-8.

Butler ended the half with a 25-18 lead, and Campbell took charge again to start the second half. The senior again sank four 3-pointers over the first seven minutes of the half to lift the Bulldogs to a commanding 43-25 lead.

"We fought back in the first half, but it was the beginning of the second half that did us in," Mondro said. "Their lead went from seven to double digits very quickly."

Julian Betko added a 3-pointer during the early run for Butler, which as a team shot 41 percent (12-of-29) from the arc.

Mike Green added 11 points for the Bulldogs, including a pair of 3-pointers, to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds.

Campbell left the game along Butler's other four seniors to a standing ovation late in the second half.

"The fans always help when they're being supportive," Campbell said. "It's like another guy on the court, that's why you love playing at home."

As a team, the Bulldogs shot 46 percent (24-of-52) from the field and held an opponent to 31 or fewer points for the first time since beating Canterbury, 52-30, during the 1947-48 season.

Chris Hayes led the Titans with nine points and Eulis Stephens added eight. Detroit shot just 28 percent (13-of-46) from the field and made just 1-of-15 3-point attempts.

"Defense should be a given for us," Butler forward Drew Streicher said. "That's something we've got to hang our hat on every game."

It was Detroit's fourth straight loss to Butler and ninth in a row here.