CHICAGO – Not since the 1985 Bears has a team been so unbeatable in Chicago.
Butler stretched its road winning streak in the Chicago area to 18 straight, using Kelan Martin’s 24 points and stout defense to beat DePaul 79-67 Saturday before a crowd of 6,802 in Big East basketball.
Butler (14-7, 4-4) had lost four of five since beating No. 1 Villanova. It was the second win in six road games for the Bulldogs.
Martin shot 7-of-15, featuring 5-of-11 on 3-pointers, and added four rebounds and four assists.
Kamar Baldwin added 18 points – eight on free throws in the final 85 seconds -- and nine rebounds.
Five other Bulldogs scored six to eight points, including freshman Aaron Thompson, whose career-high eight assists were the most by a Butler player this season.
Max Strus scored 27 points and Eli Cain 14 for DePaul (8-11, 1-6). The Blue Demons are 0-4 in the Big East in their new Wintrust Arena.
The Bulldogs have not lost here since a 73-67 overtime defeat at UIC on Jan. 10, 2007.
The streak covers six arenas (two each for DePaul and Loyola) includes five wins at DePaul, two at Northwestern, six at Loyola and five at UIC.
By the time eight minutes had elapsed in the second half, Butler was shooting 1-of-8 with eight turnovers and six fouls. DePaul pulled within 46-34 after a 12-2 run but never crept closer than 12 points thereafter.
Three reasons Butler won:
As Kelan goes . . .
Butler is far from a one-man or (two-man) team, but be real: Bulldogs are hard to beat when Martin is bringing the heat.
In the first half, the Blue Demons barely outscored Martin 19-15. Coming off by far his worst game of the season – he was 3-of-14 Monday at Providence and scored six points – he played more like the All-America candidate he has become.
Butler has not had a league scoring champion in 31 years – Darrin Fitzgerald in the old Midwestern Collegiate Conference – and Martin is on course to be one in conference play.
Putting the D in Dawgs
Maybe some DePaul’s poor shooting was its own ineptitude. Undoubtedly, that contributed to the Blue Demons’ 28 percent in the first half. They improved that to 35 percent, mostly because of Strus’ long 3s after the outcome was decided.
But the Bulldogs contested shots early and often, not allowing DePaul to gain comfort. The Blue Demons missed nine in a row in one stretch, and Butler seized control with a 14-0 run.
Butler has been last in the Big East in all important defensive metrics: points per possession, points per game, field goal percentage.
Providence was the Dawgs’ fourth game in 10 days, and perhaps fatigue was becoming an issue. The Dawgs had more pep in their step in Chicago, a home away from home.
Share the orange
As effective as Martin was, the Bulldogs’ offense was a collective project. Eight players scored field goals in the first half, and the ball moved as it seldom has this season.
Defenders continue to play off Thompson on the perimeter because he is not a 3-point shooter. He was brilliant otherwise in directing the offense, which delivered 16 assists on 24 field goals.
Call IndyStar reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
MORE ON BUTLER:
► So what if he's no LeBron? Butler badly needs Baddley
► Recruiting expert: Jordan Tucker should make immediate impact for Butler
► 5 years ago, Butler basketball beat Gonzaga on a buzzer-beater that we still can't believe