The Butler Grizzlies stormed back from an 11 point halftime deficit, outscoring Garden City 45-14 in the second half and cruising to a 58-38 win to snap a three game losing streak and getting a much needed win before the last week of the regular season.
It was a tale of two halves for Butler's offense. The Grizzlies scored just five points in the first quarter, held without a basket for nearly four minutes. Butler shot 7% as a team in the first quarter, and they went into the locker room down 24-13 at halftime.
Whatever Mike Helmer's message was to his team at the halftime interval, it worked. The Grizzlies were dominant in the third quarter. Butler outscored Garden City 28-7, and turned the tables completely, before securing the victory in the fourth quarter.
Jada Knight came alive for Butler in the third quarter, scoring 11 points and outscoring the Broncbusters on her own. She would finish with 22 points to lead all scorers, going 6-12 from the field. Syncere Harrod also played well off the bench for the Grizzlies, as she finished with 13 points.
Neither team shot the ball particularly well. Both teams shot under 30% from the field, with the Grizzlies finishing at 29%. The three point woes continue for Butler, as they made only two shots from behind the arc after making only one in the loss to Hutch on Friday. Butler's offense got a significant boost from the charity stripe, as they made 28 free throws on the night and shot 77% from the line. Butler was also able to notch 25 points off turnovers, as they forced 31 Garden City takeaways. The Grizzlies got significant production from their bench, as they got 21 points from their non-starters.
Butler's defense was able to keep them in the game, as they held Garden City to just one three pointer and 26% from the field. The Grizzlies were able to force 12 steals, led by five from Cymirah Williams.
The win improves Butler's record to 16-11, and puts the Grizzlies back at .500 in conference play, as their record in the Jayhawk Conference is now 11-11. Butler will look to get back to a winning streak, as they host Northwest Tech on Monday in the final home game of the season.