OTHER CONFERENCES

Clarke returns to assist Butler

— Rotnei Clarke is back and so is No. 9 Butler.

After missing the past two weeks with a severely sprained neck, the shooting guard returned Saturday, scoring 24 points and leading the Bulldogs to an 83-71 victory over Temple. He made 3 three pointers, 13 of 14 free throws and a career-high 9 assists.

“It felt really good. When something like that happens, it puts a lot of things in perspective,” Clarke said. “I felt pretty normal.”

For most of the day, he looked like his old self, too.

Clarke repeatedly sent three-pointers over the outstretched arms of defenders, and drove relentlessly through the lane, crashing hard to the floor once in each half. It brought back memories of that Jan. 12 play at Dayton when he crashed head first into a padded basket support and then stayed down for eight minutes before being taken off on a stretcher, but Clarke bounced up right away both times Saturday.

And when Temple (13-6, 2-3 Atlantic 10) chased Clarke with extra defenders, the former Arkansas Razorback had little trouble finding teammates for open shots.

It was a far cry from how the Bulldogs (16-3, 4-1) played in Wednesday’s loss at La Salle, their only defeat since Nov. 21. Butler has won 14 of 15, including three victories that came with Clarke on the bench.

Clearly, Butler couldn’t wait to get him back.

“With his ability to shoot and create shots, and when two guys run at him that opens things up for the rest of us,” Khyle Marshall said after finishing with 19 points and five rebounds. “The attention he gets makes it easier for our other guys.”

In another Atlantic 10 game, Ramon Galloway scored 31 points, 12 during an 18-4 run in the second half, and visiting La Salle (14-5, 4-2) beat an Associated Press Top 25 team for the second game in a row for the first time in 60 years, 69-61 over No. 19 Virginia Commonwealth (16-5, 4-2).

MISSOURI VALLEY Wichita State rolls

WICHITA, Kan. - Nick Wiggins scored 12 points and fueled a 16-0 run in the second half with three 3-pointers as No. 20 Wichita State completed a regular-season sweep of Bradley with a 73-39 victory Saturday night.

Jake White added 11 points for the Shockers (19-2, 8-1 Missouri Valley), who won their 19th consecutive home game and ensured themselves of starting the second half of their conference schedule in sole possession of the league lead.

Cleanthony Early and Malcolm Armstead each added 10 points for Wichita State.

Walt Lemon Jr. led Bradley (12-9, 4-5) with 14 points.

WEST COAST

Gonzaga ups streak

SPOKANE, Wash. - Kelly Olynyk scored 13 points, helping No. 10 Gonzaga extended its home winning streak against San Francisco to 24 games with a 66-52 victory on Saturday night.

Elias Harris had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Gonzaga (19-2, 6-0 West Coast Conference) and Kevin Pangos added 11 points. Gonzaga made 45 percent of its shots and was 8 of 20 from three-point range.

Chris Adams led San Francisco (9-12, 2-6) with nine points and Avry Holmes scored eight. The Dons turned the ball over 17 times and were 9 of 24 from behind the arc.

Sports, Pages 27 on 01/27/2013

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