• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Butler visits Loyola-Chicago hoping to stay perfect in Horizon

Jan 15, 2009 - 11:42 AM No. 18 Butler (14-1) at Loyala-Chicago (10-7) 8:00 p.m. EST

Butler is off to its customary red-hot start and is climbing the national rankings in the process.

The 18th-ranked Bulldogs look to improve on their best start in the Horizon League since 2002--03 when they visit Loyola of Chicago on Thursday.

For the third consecutive campaign, Butler (14-1, 5-0 Horizon) has suffered just one loss in its first 15 games. A season after setting the school record with a 16-1 start, the Bulldogs are currently riding a six-game winning streak.

After entering the rankings two weeks ago at No. 20, Butler moved up two spots in the latest poll off a pair of wins last week. The Bulldogs kept their perfect league mark intact against Detroit on Saturday, struggling to a 54-50 home victory to keep the Titans winless in conference play.

Matt Howard, who is averaging a team-leading 14.1 points per game, was the lone Bulldog player in double figures with 15 points.

Loyola (10-7, 2-3) bounced back from a 26-point beatdown at the hands of Cleveland State by topping Youngstown State, 68-57, on Saturday.

Aric Van Weelden sank all four of his 3-point attempts for 12 points while Marcus Thomas and Justin Cerasoli added 11 each.