A big run in the first half propelled the Butler men to a 92-74 victory over Colby in the final game of the regular season on Monday at the Power Plant.
The win is the third straight for the Grizzlies, all by 18 or more points.
With the victory, Butler secures a home game in the first round of the upcoming Region VI Tournament. That home game will put the fifth-seeded Grizzlies up against the No. 12 seed, which will either be Colby, Independence or Allen County. That game will tip at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Power Plant.
Butler finishes the regular season 17-12, tied with Coffeyville for fifth place in the Jayhawk Conference at 14-12 in league play. Butler gets the fifth seed and Coffeyville with be the sixth seed due to the Grizzlies sweeping the season series from the Red Ravens.
On Monday, Butler had trailed Colby 12-10 early in the half, but surged to take a 22-16 lead on a Ketarrious Bouchum 3-pointer with 7:41 left in the first half. Colby would score three points on free throws over the next two minutes while Butler was held scoreless.
Leading 22-19, Butler would go on a 17-2 run, helped in part by a pair of 3-pointers by Semaj Hervey. When LaJuan Hardy made a 3-pointer with 2:15 left in the half, Butler had a 39-21 lead.
Butler would go into the half leading 44-29.
In the second half, Colby would trim Butler's lead down to 12, but the Grizzlies would score six straight and a jumper from Antferene Adams made it a 61-43 game with 11:50 remaining.
Colby would again start chipping away at the Butler lead, getting within 10 points, but the Grizzlies began to hit a barrage of shots from 3-point range. When Will Adler hit from long distance with 1:36 remaining, Butler had its biggest lead of the game at 86-67.
Ketarrious Bouchum led Butler with 17 points, while Semaj Hervey and Johnnathan Lindsey had 14 apiece. Jacolby Harris and Antferene Adams scored 11 each and Karlon McSpadden added 10 points.