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Healthy Graves, Butler face Loyola Chicago

Jan 25, 2007 - 3:15 PM No. 11 Butler (17-2) at Loyola Chi (13-7) 8:00 pm EST

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- With A.J. Graves back at full strength, 11th-ranked Butler will visit Loyola Chicago in a Horizon League Conference game on Thursday.

Butler has matched the best 19-game start in school history. The 1927-28 team was 17-2 before finishing with a 19-3 record, while the 1928-29 team and the 1930-31 squad each started 17-2 as well.

The Bulldogs' previous best 19-game record under current coach Todd Lickliter was 16-3 in both 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Graves, who played just 13 total minutes in Butler's victories over South Dakota State and Youngstown State, was back at full strength against Wisconsin-Green Bay. The 6-1 guard, who had all four wisdom teeth extracted prior to the win over South Dakota State, netted 28 points in the Bulldogs' 80-59 win over the Phoenix last Saturday.

Holding an 8-2 road record, Butler will start a three-game trip against the Ramblers on Thursday.

Loyola Chicago has won three of its last five games, including a 69-53 victory over the IPFW on Saturday. Majak Kou scored 17 points for the Mastodons.