COFFEYVILLE, Kan. – For the second year in a row, the Butler women have gone on the road to win in the first round of the Region VI playoffs as the Grizzlies knocked off Coffeyville on Wednesday at Nellis Hall by an 68-52 score.

The win improves the Grizzlies to 18-13 on the season and moves Butler into the Region VI quarterfinals on Saturday to take on Garden City. Game time at Hartman Arena in Park City is 3 p.m. 

Butler looked ready to advance in the playoffs from the opening tipoff on Wednesday. The Grizzlies jumped to an 10-0 lead in the game with four points by Tysia Manuel, who also took a charge early on the game. Coffeyville went nearly four minutes before getting its first points. Butler stretched the lead to 12 points twice following a 3-pointers by Jordyn Tolefree, the latest coming with 5:18 left in the first half that made the score 24-12.

But later in the half, the Grizzlies went cold from the field, going more than three minutes without a point. In that time, Coffeyville scored 10 straight, getting within two points at 24-22.

Jamillah Bonner stopped Butler's drought with four straight points of her own. Then a Chantee Louis 3-pointer and a last-second shot by Manual allowed Butler to build the lead back to nine points at the half, 33-24.

Butler came out blazing after halftime, outscoring Coffeyville 16-4 to stretch the lead to 21 points at 49-28 after a basket by Tekoya Thompson with 13:15 to play. Coffeyville went on an 11-0 run, closing the gap to 10 (49-39) with 10 minutes to play, but would get no closer than that down the stretch as Butler would stretch the lead back to 17 at times in the closing minutes.

Jamillah Bonner led Butler with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Tysia Manuel scored 12 points and also had six rebounds, a blocked shot and a charge taken.

Butler's matchup with Garden City will be the third of the season. Garden City won both previous meetings – 57-53 in overtime in El Dorado in January and 49-38 at Garden City in February.