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Graves, Campbell get Butler back on track

Feb 20, 2007 - 5:49 AM GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- A.J. Graves and Pete Campbell provided Butler with enough offense to pick up a much-needed victory.

Graves scored 20 points and Campbell was key in a second-half run as the 15th-ranked Bulldogs posted a 68-58 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay in a Horizon League matchup.

The Bulldogs (25-4, 12-2 Horizon) were in need of a victory after dropping two of their last three, including a 68-64 loss to No.14 Southern Illinois on Saturday.

Graves made just 1-of-8 shots and finished with five points in Saturday's loss to the Salukis. He was only 6-of-17 from the field against the Phoenix but came through when needed.

After the Phoenix pulled within 58-56 on a pair of free throws by Ryan Evanochko with 2:19 to go, Graves responded with a 3-pointer and Wisconsin-Green Bay got no closer the rest of the way.

The Phoenix, who had won four of their last five game, have now lost 11 consecutive games against top-25 opponents. They made only one field goal in the final 5:47.

"I thought it was an opportunity for our program to really grow up tonight," Wisconsin-Green Bay coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "We're by far the youngest team in the Horizon League and I thought this would have been a national stage for us to take advantage of an opportunity and I think we let an opportunity slip away."

"We competed. We played extremely hard, and we played with great determination and toughness. But what cost us is some focus and some mental toughness."

Campbell did his damage earlier in the second half. The Phoenix (16-13, 7-8) took a 37-32 lead with 16:42 left after a 3-pointer by Troy Cotton. But Butler responded with a 15-3 run that Campbell capped with three shots from the arc that gave the Bulldogs a 47-40 lead with 9:49 remaining.

"I thought it was a well-played game. The game was back-and-forth like I thought it would be," Butler coach Todd Lickliter said. "Our guys were more aggressive in the second half and I was pleased with the way we played."

Brandon Crone scored 17 points and Campbell had 11 for Butler, which scored 19 points off of 12 Wisconsin-Green Bay turnovers.

"It was a huge win for us tonight," Crone said. "We needed this one. It is always tough coming to Green Bay."