Grizzlies suffer tough road loss to hot shooting Trojan team

The seventh ranked Grizzlies suffered their first setback of the season, coming up on the short end of a 104-84 affair against the Colby Trojans to open up Jayhawk Conference play on the road at Colby Wednesday evening.

The Grizzlies were the victim of a hot shooting Colby team. Colby shot 53% as a team and made a scorching 15 threes on 33 attempts, finishing 45% from outside. Colby's Ron Mitchell finished with nine threes and a game high 29 points to lead the Trojans.

Colby led throughout, taking a five point lead into the locker room. They built it up to 11 before Keyon Thomas hit back to back threes to cut into the lead, but every time Colby needed a big basket they were able to get it, and the lead just got away from Butler at the end. Colby's highest lead of the game was 22 and they won by 20.

Despite the loss, the Grizzlies did not play poorly. They shot the ball almost as well, going 51% from the field. Five players finished with double digits led by Eden Holt's 17 and Thomas' 15. Thomas and Marque English led the Grizzlies on the glass, tying each other with six rebounds. It was another solid night for the Grizzlies' depth, as the Butler bench outscored Colby's 23-3. But the Grizzlies just could not overcome the hot shooting from the Trojans on the night.

The loss is Butler's first on the year, as they fall to 5-1 on the season, and 0-1 in KJCCC play. The Grizzlies will hope to bounce back when they return home on Saturday as they host Seward County at the Power Plant in El Dorado.