Grizzlies get back in the win column with victory over Cloud County

Grizzlies get back in the win column with victory over Cloud County

The Butler Grizzlies snapped a two game losing streak on Saturday, bouncing back with a dominant second half showing to close out a 71-58 victory over the Cloud County Thunderbirds in the last home game of 2021.

The Grizzlies, ranked 14th in the nation, improved to 11-2 overall and 5-2 in Jayhawk Conference play. They remain unbeaten at home this season and have now won seven straight games against the Thunderbirds.

The Grizzlies were led by Cymirah Williams and Mallory Cowman, who both came off the bench to score 12 points. The Grizzlies finished the game with 44 points from the bench in a game where the Butler depth shined through. 

The game was won in the final frame. The Grizzlies trailed by two at the end of the first quarter, and a Thunderbird buzzer beating three tied the game at halftime. Butler outscored the Thunderbirds 23-13 in the fourth quarter to pull away, securing the victory.

The two teams combined for 48 turnovers, with the Grizzlies scoring 24 points off of takeaways in a sloppy game. Cameren Downs led the team with four steals and the Grizzlies would combine for 13 as a team. The Grizzlies also won the rebound battle by a slim margin, finishing with 38 boards, led by Williams and Downs, who both finished with 7. 

The Grizzlies shot 40% as a team, despite only going 4-19 from the three point line. The Grizzlies did their work inside, finishing with 26 points in the paint. The Grizzlies also passed the ball well, led by Mekayla Furman's 7 assists, as the team finished with 23. 

The Grizzlies will hope to get back to a winning streak when they travel to Barton to play the Cougars on Monday at 5:30pm, in the final game before the holiday break.