Large scoring runs against Allen Community College’s men’s basketball team lifted Butler to a double-digit, 90-73 win Monday night.
Butler started the first half on a 5-0 run to take the early lead. The Red Devils didn’t get their first points until 16:30 left in the half a Josh Sweet 3-pointer.
Trailing 14-9 at the midway point of the half, Sweet drove through the lane to get a lay-in. But, Allen couldn’t get a much-needed defensive stop and Butler went on another 5-0 run. The Red Devils’ Jordan Nanton took the ball on a breakaway for an easy lay-in, to reduce the Grizzlies’ lead to 19-13 with eight minutes left.
Allen couldn’t keep up with Butler’s pace. The Grizzlies jumped to a nine-point lead at 25-16 two minutes later.
“Once again, in both games we got off to fairly decent starts and then we go on these little lulls where we stop scoring and we give up easy baskets,” coach Andy Shaw said.
Butler still held a double-digit lead when Sweet hit a one-handed lay-in to get the score back to within single digits at 29-21. That’s as close as the score got before intermission.
Butler took a 42-17 lead into halftime.
“Our team is doing a very good job of listening and executing our scouting reports, but we’re not making multiple efforts after we stop them and what they’re doing,” Shaw said. “We’re not making the effort to stop our man one-on-one. We are giving up direct drives to the rim and letting our opponent lay it in way too often.”
Allen’s Courtney Stockard started the second half with a 3-pointer, giving the Red Devils a glimmer of hope. A few plays later, Stockard drew a foul while taking a three. He hit two of the free throws, to draw Allen closer at 52-39 Butler.
But, the Grizzlies went on a roll. Butler’s Damien Akoa scored eight straight points on two 3-pointers and a lay-in. Allen’s Nanton ended the Butler scoring splurge with two free throws. Allen trailed 62-41 with 15 minutes left in the game.
Butler took control from there and took a 70-43 lead. Allen’s Jermaine Long scored on a lay-in and was fouled on the play. He hit the free throw, giving him the old-fashioned three-point play.
Nanton drew another foul and hit one free throw. On his next attempt, Stockard got the rebound and rolled the ball into the hoop on a one-handed lay-in. After a quick two points from Butler, Long hit a 3-pointer and Allen was edging closer. Butler led 73-56 with 6:20 to play.
Allen couldn’t stop the Grizzlies from scoring and could only trim the lead to 14. ACC’s Jameel Henson drained a 3-pointer with two minutes left, which only helped his stat line since the 85-71 lead was insurmountable at that point.
“We have to do a better job at protecting our home court and not getting down by double digits,” Shaw said. “It’s just tough to come back. Butler is a very good team and they’re very well coached. They played well, but we’re better than what we showed tonight. We’ve got to get better at playing our style of basketball and make plays.”
Allen (0-2) plays on the road against Moberly on Friday.
Butler gets early jump in romp over Devils
