INDIANAPOLIS — Duquesne coach Jim Ferry got a glimpse into his future plans Tuesday night.

He watched No. 15 Butler play lockdown defense, rely on balanced scoring and win going away. If the Dukes can follow that recipe, they might start winning again.

It just couldn’t happen soon enough to avoid this defeat. Rotnei Clarke scored 16 points, Khyle Marshall had 14 and Andrew Smith just missed a double-double as the Bulldogs pulled away for an easy 68-49 romp over the reeling Dukes.

“I thought we played extremely hard tonight, but I thought we were significantly out-talented,” Ferry said. “That’s one of the best defensive teams I’ve seen in a long time. They’re extremely disciplined and when they’re so balanced offensively, that’s a really tough game to win, especially here.”

It’s already been a long season for the Dukes (8-18, 1-11 Atlantic 10), who have won only two road games — at Appalachian State and at Temple — and have now dropped 15 of their last 17.

Derrick Colter scored 11 points and was the only Dukes player to reach double figures in their latest loss. Jerry Jones, who had nine points and four baskets, and Kadeem Panthophlet and Sean Johnson, who each had seven points and three baskets, were the only other Duquesne players with more than two field goals.

Nobody had more than five rebounds, three assists. The Dukes shot just 37.3 percent from the field and were 5 of 21 on 3-pointers and finished with their third-lowest point total of the season.

“They force you out, they contest shots and you don’t get a sniff of an offensive rebound,” Ferry said.

The Bulldogs (22-5, 9-3 Atlantic 10) needed a game like this after dealing with so many close calls — and so many injuries — over the past month.

“I thought our guys were ready, I thought our guys played hard and I thought our guys played well,” coach Brad Stevens said. “Our guys really locked in defensively and I thought we played at a much better pace.”

For the Bulldogs, it wasn’t a perfect night by any stretch.

Without their usually crisp passing early, Butler’s shooters struggled.

But when they warmed up, Duquesne (8-18, 1-11) never had a chance.