Butler men put up 130 in season-opening win

The Butler men's basketball team scored the third-highest number of points in the program's history on Friday in the season opener against Bethel JV in a 130-65 win.

The 130 points are third behond the 138 points scored against Kansas State-Salina in 2014 and 133 points against Cloud County in 1989. Butler also scored 130 points against Friends JV in 2006.

While Butler rolled early, Bethel battled the Grizzlies early. The Threshers hit four straight 3-pointers early in the contest to take a 12-8 lead. Butler then scored eight straight to take a 16-12 lead after a layup by Justin Criddle with 16:22 left in the first half.

Bethel would battle back to tie the game 18-18 before Criddle scored another layup to put Butler up 20-18 with 14:33 left in the half. Butler would not trail again. The Grizzlies used a 12-0 run to widen the gap and would lead by 20 at the half, 58-38.

Butler dominated the second half, hitting the century mark on a Russell Smith layup that made it 101-55 with 8:47 to play.

Butler scored 72 points in the second half.

Russell Smith led Butler with 22 points, one of eight Grizzlies in double digits. Ketarrious Bouchum had 17 points off the bench, while Jared Armstrong scored 16. Justin Moore led Butler with nine rebounds.

Butler is 1-0 on the season. The Grizzlies will face Southwestern JV on Monday and Hesston on Wednesday before hosting Garden City on Saturday, Nov. 11 in the Jayhawk Conference opener.