The Butler men used an early first half surge and a strong defensive effort to hold off the Johnson County Cavaliers at the Power Plant on Monday in a 65-43 win. 

Butler started the game scoring the first 15 points and led 17-1 before Johnson scored its first basket from the floor. Johnson would close the gap, getting back within nine at 20-11. From that point on, however, Butler outscored the Cavaliers 19-8 to take a 20-point lead into the break at 39-19.

Butler went on a 13-2 run to start the second half. The Grizzlies would stretch the lead to as many as 30 points when a basket from Calvin Johnson made the score 51-21 with 13:46 to play.

The 45 points is the fewest the Grizzlies have allowed this season. The previous low was 58 points scored by Fort Scott in the second game of the season. The win also gives Butler a season sweep of Johnson County after winning 92-70 in Overland Park in November.

Both Shomari Triggs and Larry Fitzgerald led the Grizzlies with 12 points each while Trent Richardson added 11 points and Bakari Triggs finished with nine points.

The Butler men will host a rematch of the first overtime meeting in Salina against Brown Mackie at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.