EL DORADO, Kan. – Number nine ranked Butler men's basketball saw its seven-game win streak snapped at the hands of the No. 6 Barton Cougars, 65-61, on Saturday afternoon at the Power Plant.
The loss was Butler's (8-2, 3-1 KJCCC) first loss in conference play. The Cougars moved to 10-1 overall and 4-1 in league action.
It was an offensive struggle for a majority of the afternoon, with both teams shooting 41% from the field. The Grizzlies never tied or led in the game as Barton immediately got out to a 6-0 lead, stretching the lead to a game-high 11 points at 21-9 more than midway through the first half. Butler battled down the stretch to trim the halftime deficit. They were down 30-20 with two minutes left but Deuce Drake scored four points in the final two minutes to make it 30-24 at the break.
"We could not get organized and run what we were trying to run offensively," said head coach Kyle Fisher. "You cannot dig yourself in an 11-point hole against the sixth ranked team in the country and expect to be able to battle back that easy. "
Down 60-46 with 3:20 left in the game and time running out, the Grizzlies went on a run that sent the already chippy Power Plant into a frenzy. Butler put together a 13-0 run, making it 60-59 with 25 seconds left in the game. Kaleb Washington scored the first and last points of the run while AJ Williams hit a three and Amare Haynie drilled back-to-back threes to put the Grizzlies right back in the game.
With the shot clock off Butler was forced to foul and Brent Moss went to the free throw line, knocking both down to make it a three point ballgame at 62-59. Washington was fouled on the next possession by Barton but made just one of two free throws as Barton led 62-60 with six seconds left. The rest of the game was back-and-forth free throws with the Grizzlies never able to get the upper hand. The energy from the electric run escaped the gym as Barton left with the win.
Washington led all scorers with 17 points on 6-12 shooting. He was just 4-9 from the free throw line. Williams posted 14 points, shooting 3-8 from deep. Drake tallied 11 points and a team-high five assists while Jamichael Stillwelll led the Grizzlies with nine rebounds. Barton's forward combo of Lajae Jones and Myles Thompson each led the Couagrs with 14 points. Jones finished with a double-double snagging 10 rebounds while Thompson grabbed seven of his own.
Barton outscored Butler 40-18 in the paint, as well as outrebounding the Grizzlies 36-29. The Cougars made just one three while Butler made seven.
"They got to the rim and we were shooting jumpers," said Fisher. "That tells the story right there, they had 40 points in the paint to our 18."
Barton snapped Butler's three-game win streak over the Cougars at the Power Plant with the win. The two teams are now 5-5 in the last 10 meetings.
"Disappointing effort from us. I do like our fight. I still really like our team and that's the great thing about playing a game like this because they are a great test to show where we are at."
Butler returns to action on Wednesday at Garden City with tipoff set for 7:30.
