Harris scores 30 as Butler men edge Barton 87-84

GREAT BEND, Kan. - Grizzly sophomore Jacolby Harris matched his career-high with 30 points as the Butler men escaped with an 87-84 win at Barton on Wednesday.

Harris hit 11 of 13 from the field and scored 15 in each half for the Grizzlies (13-6 overall, 10-6 conference), who bounced back into the win column after Monday's loss at Colby. Ketarrious Bouchum finished with 15 points, while Will Adler and Johnnathan Lindsey each scored 10 points.

Harris scored his first seven points during a key 11-0 run early in the first half to give Butler its biggest lead of the game.

Butler led 32-23 after Harris made two free throws at the 6:00 mark, but Barton would chip away at the lead and closed within two, 42-40, at the break.

Barton continued the momentum with a 7-0 run to start the second half, but the Grizzlies responded with an 11-2 run. LaDarrian Burney and Will Adler would each hit a trey, while Johnnathan Lindsey added two field goals as Butler led 53-50 with 11:22 remaining.

The Cougars clawed back into the game, taking a 61-58 lead on a Malik Rhoades basket with just over eight minutes left. Adler came back with a three-pointer to tie, then Ketarrious Bouchum hit a pair of free throws to give Butler the lead back. Harris would then score Butler's next nine points as the Grizzlies took a 72-68 lead with 4:02 to go.

From there, Butler hit 11 of 16 free throws, only getting two field goals - both from Harris - the rest of the way. Barton's Noah Webster hit consecutive three-pointers to get the Cougars within two, 84-82, with 19.1 seconds to play. However, the Grizzlies went 3 of 6 from the line and Burney ended the game with a steal on Barton's final possession to seal the win.

Butler shot 58.3 percent (28 of 48) from the field, while Barton made just 45.2 percent (28 of 62). The Grizzlies were outrebounded by a 40-23 margin, but created 29 points off of 15 Barton turnovers.

Harris, who set a career-best mark with 11 field goal, scored 30 points back on Nov. 22 in a 116-97 loss at Cowley. The effort also marks the fifth time a Butler player has reached the 30-point plateau this season, with LaJuan Hardy (33 vs. Garden City, Jan. 18; 30 vs. Tabor JV, Nov. 8) and Will Adler (30 vs. Neosho, Jan. 11) also reaching the mark.

Butler returns home Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. contest against Cowley at the Power Plant.