Feb. 8, 2007

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CLEVELAND (AP) -Pete Campbell made eight 3-pointers - six in the first half - and finished with 28 points, and No. 10 Butler showed off its outside touch by making a school record 20 3s in a 92-50 win over Cleveland State on Thursday night.

Ranked higher in the AP's poll that at any time in school history, the Bulldogs (23-2, 11-1 Horizon League) extended their winning streak to nine in a row with an eye-popping display of offensive efficiency and marksmanship.

Campbell led the way, making 8-of-11 shots from beyond the arc and Butler, which knocked off Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga earlier this season, dominated the overmatched Vikings (8-18, 2-11) from the opening tip.

Mike Green added 14 points, Brandon Crone 13 and A.J. Graves 12 for the Bulldogs, who made 20-of-33 3-pointers - a league and arena record - and set season-highs in points, field goals, assists and margin of victory.

J'Nathan Bullock scored 18 points and Victor Morris 12 to lead Cleveland State.

Campbell, who had made 60 percent (36-of-60) of his 3-point tries in the last 10 games, came off the bench with 14:43 left in the first half.

By the time coach Todd Lickliter subbed for him just six minutes later, the 6-foot-7 junior, who began his college career at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, hit five consecutive 3s - each one hitting the bottom of the net - to help the Bulldogs open a 29-8 lead.

Cleveland State coach Gary Waters briefly switched from a man-to-man defense to a 2-3 zone, but that hardly slowed the Bulldogs or Campbell.

Crowe and Green each hit another 3-pointer, and Campbell capped an 18-point first half with his sixth 3-pointer and Butler's arena-tying 12th to make it 45-25. During the Bulldogs' final possession of the half, one Vikings fan yelled, "Campbell, please stop shooting!"

It was more of the same in the second half as the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 66-37 on a 3-pointer by Marcus Nellems. Campbell's final 3 made it 84-43 and Nellems hit another to put Butler up by 43.

Lickliter cleared his bench in the final minutes and walk-on Nick Rodgers, who has a No. 4 on the back of his jersey but not his name, drilled Butler's 20th 3 - for his first career points - with 1:21 left.

Butler's first five baskets and nine of its first 10 were 3-pointers as the Bulldogs jumped to a commanding lead. The quick start stunned the Vikings and an upset-minded crowd, which came to see the highest ranked team to visit Cleveland State since No. 7 Michigan played the Vikings in 1996.