Who could have imagined that Butler’s 11th-ranked basketball team would have to ramp it up just to keep up with its Bulldog brothers?

On a Saturday in which Butler moved into first place in the Pioneer Football League and clinched a Horizon League soccer championship, the more celebrated hoopsters labored to beat Taylor 75-44.

However, coach Brad Stevens was more concerned about process than product. The Bulldogs took shots they wanted, even if they didn’t make them. They defended deep into the shot clock, as the coach wanted.

“You have to be able to win games that might not seem to be the prettiest,” Stevens said. “And I think that’s one of the things our guys were able to do.”

Butler center Matt Howard nearly had a double-double in the first half, and finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Shelvin Mack added 12 points. Gordon Hayward scored 10, drawing fouls on an afternoon in which he dunked twice and shot 0-of-6 otherwise.

Taylor freshman Casey Coons (Franklin Central) hit four 3-pointers and had a game-high 14 points.

Stevens invited the Trojans to Hinkle Fieldhouse out of respect for Paul Patterson, who has coached at Taylor for 31 years. Patterson was close to former Butler coach Todd Lickliter, and Stevens calls Patterson as often as once to week “to pick his brain.”

Patterson said Taylor and Butler share similar basketball philosophies. The Taylor coach said he and Stevens discuss people issues most often, but also practice drills and teaching methods.

“I don’t know anything about what a top-10 team is supposed to look like,” Patterson said. "But that’s one, if I’m voting. They’re really good in a lot of phases of the game. They’re deep. They play hard. They’re unselfish.

“When they’re making shots, holy Toledo, they’re going to be hard to guard.”

The Bulldogs were hard to score against, especially early. Taylor went the opening nine minutes without a field goal, just as DePauw went 11 minutes without a field goal in a 77-45 exhibition loss a week ago.

Butler shot poorly from the 3-point line (27 percent) and foul line (68 percent), and was only 46 percent from the field despite advantages in height, strength and speed.

Butler opens the regular season against Davidson next Saturday.

“I feel like we have the same mind-set, the same ideas, going into this season as we did the last,” Howard said.

Etc.

The Bulldogs’ 31-28 football victory at Dayton gave them a 9-0 record and first place in the PFL at 6-0. A 3-1 soccer win over Wright State sent the Horizon Tournament to top-seeded Butler next weekend. . . . Sophomore F Garrett Butcher did not play, thus retaining the option to redshirt. Butcher has been recovering from illness. Stevens said redshirting is “very improbable.” . . . As in the first exhibition, Butler started Shawn Vanzant at point guard instead of returning starter Ronald Nored .