DODGE CITY, Kan. – No. 21 Butler traveled to No. 16 Dodge City and fell in overtime, 72-63 at the Student Activity Center on Wednesday evening.
The Grizzlies (19-5, 13-5 KJCCC) had two looks on the final possession of regulation to win the game but Randi Harding's first shot did not go in and after she rebounded her own shot, Dodge City's (21-4, 15-4) Mia Jordan blocked the second Harding attempt to push the game to overtime.
Butler and the Conquistadors split the regular season series with each team winning at home. Butler currently sits in fourth place in the KJCCC, a half-game behind Barton (14-5) and one game back of second place Dodge (15-4). Dodge City has won five out of the last six meetings between the two.
Dodge got out to a 19-13 lead after the first quarter and outscored Butler 14-13 in the second quarter to take a 33-26 lead into halftime.
The Grizzlies put together a big third quarter, holding the Conqs to just six points. Butler opened the quarter on a 12-2 run before Dodge City tied the game 37-37 with 2:51 to play in the third period.
The fourth quarter saw the teams trade baskets all the way through. Dodge City's Layla-J Cameron hit a triple to put the Conqs ahead 55-50 with 1:50 to play as it looked like Butler was in trouble. Randi Harding knocked down two free throws after being fouled on the next possession, making it 55-52. The Conqs then missed a three and Maycee James got the rebound and was fouled, sending her to the line where she made one of two to make it 55-53 Dodge. On the Conqs next possession, Tiana Winn intercepted a pass from Dodge's Mia Jordan, passed it to James who made a spot-on, full court pass to a streaking Dayuna Colvin who made a transition layup plus the foul to tie the game 55-55. She missed the free throw and the game remained tied through the end of regulation as neither Dodge or Butler could put the ball in the basket.
What a sequence for the Grizzlies!!!
— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) February 15, 2024
Winn with the steal, James with the perfect pass and Colvin lays it in plus the foul��#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/iJOUwuBbAN
The overtime period was all Dodge City. They scored the first seven points of the extra period before the Grizzlies got on the board with Wallace making a layup to vut the deficit to 62-57 with 3:22 to play. They outscored Butler 17-8 to come away with the win.
Wallace led Butler with 22 points and eight rebounds. Maycee James contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, five steals and five assists. J'unti Franklin poured in 15 points off the bench.
Butler shot just 32.4% (22-68 from the field while Dodge shot 38.1% (24-63). The Grizzlies were 1-17 from three (5.9%) while Dodge was 12-32 (37.5%). Butler forced25 Dodge City turnovers while coughing it up 20 times themselves.
Butler returns to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. as they travel to take on the No. 1 team in the nation, the undefeated Hutchinson Blue Dragons.
