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Butler aims to keep home streak alive

Jan 24, 2008 - 3:32 PM Loyola Chi (6-12) at No. 14 Butler (17-2) 7:00 pm EST

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) - Senior A.J. Graves and No. 14 Butler aim to keep their home winning streak alive while continuing their dominating play against a conference foe.

Graves and the Bulldogs look for their eighth straight home victory when they face struggling Loyola on Thursday.

Butler (17-2, 6-2 Horizon League) rebounded from a 56-52 loss to Cleveland St. last Thursday by cruising past Youngstown State, 78-69, on Saturday. Freshman forward Matt Howard scored 20 points for the Bulldogs, who are one victory shy of matching their best start in school history.

Last year's Butler team became the first in school history to post an 18-2 record.

The Bulldogs have won 17 of their past 18 home meetings against the Ramblers and also defeated Loyola, 66-55, on the road on January 7. Graves, who is Butler's second-leading scorer at 13.8 points, scored 24 points in last year's game against Loyola in Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Ramblers (6-12, 2-6), losers of five of their last six, dropped a 53-52 decision to Wright St. on Saturday. Junior guard J.R. Blount, who leads the school by scoring 15.7 points a game, had 11 in the loss to Wright State. Loyola is just 10-22 all-time here.