COL BKB: Butler 78, Loyola (Ill.) 55

CHICAGO, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Matt Howard hit all but two of his 10 shots and scored 20 points Thursday, leading No. 18 Butler past Loyola (Ill.) 78-55.

Butler has won eight in a row since its only loss of the season, which came Dec. 13 at Ohio State.

The Bulldogs (15-1, 6-0 Horizon League) scored 22 consecutive points in the early going and coasted from there. They limited Loyola to 33 percent shooting from the field.

Shelvin Mack added 18 points and Gordon Hayward had 11.

Loyola (10-8, 2-4) was led by Ross Forman with 13.