Butler women fall short in 60-55 loss to No. 2 Hutchinson

Butler women fall short in 60-55 loss to No. 2 Hutchinson

The Butler women could not complete the upset in a 60-55 home loss to No. 2 Hutchinson Saturday at the Power Plant.

In a contest that featured 11 lead changes and seven ties, it was Hutchinson that was able to score down the stretch by ending the game on a 7-0 run. The loss ended a six-game winning streak for Butler (18-6 overall, 15-6 conference).

Butler led 55-53 on a Dakota Vann layup with 3:25 remaining, but the Grizzlies were unable to score again. Hutch's Alicia Brown made a layup at the 3:02 mark to tie the game, then Bride Kennedy-Hopoat added a jumper with just over two minutes to play to give the Dragons the lead for good.

The Grizzlies had a chance to tie the game after a steal by Kyeria Hannah, but Nakylia Carter and HaLee Roland each missed three-pointers in the final 30 seconds.

Butler led by as many as six, 44-38, after Alecia Gulledge hit a pair of free throws with 1:29 left in the third quarter. Hutchinson ended the quarter with a three-pointer and a layup on a Grizzly turnover to pull within one heading into the fourth quarter.

Hutch led 48-46 early in the fourth, but a 7-0 Butler run gave the hosts momentum. Alecia Gulledge's trey in front of the Grizzly bench put Butler up 53-48 with 5:29 to play. From that point, the Grizzlies managed just one field goal for the remainder of the game.

Kendriana Washington led Butler with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Dakota Vann finished with 12 points. Alecia Gulledge also scored in double figures with 10 points. Inja Butina led Hutchinson (24-1 overall, 20-1 conference) with 19 points and six assists.

The loss drops Butler into a tie for fourth place with Cowley, who the Grizzlies swept earlier this season. Butler will next host Cloud County on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.