No. 3 Butler Women’s Basketball Takes Down Depleted Garden City Squad

GARDEN CITY, Kan. – The third ranked Grizzly women's basketball team picked up an 89-55 win over a depleted Garden City team on Wednesday night at Conestoga Arena.

Butler remains undefeated, moving to 11-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play.  Garden City (9-2, 3-2 KJCCC) lost just its second game of the season. The win for the Grizzlies marked their first win over Garden at Conestoga Arena since January 17, 2018 when they defeated the Broncbusters 76-63.

The Broncbusters entered the contest down two starters and had just six players suited up.

With 3:57 to go in the fourth quarter, Garden City had two players remaining as the other four fouled out. The Grizzlies played five on two for the remaining time in one of the stranger college basketball games played this season.

"It was the weirdest and most uncomfortable game in my career," said head coach Mike Helmer. "I've been coaching 21 years and have never experienced anything like this. It was bizarre. I'm disappointed with how my team handled and reacted to it, but we get the win and move on."

The Grizzlies jumped out to a 34-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, helped by a quick 11-1 lead to start the game. The 34 points was the highest single quarter output for Butler this season. Freddie Wallace poured in 12 points in the first quarter alone, with Dayuna Colvin adding eight.

"We started off really well, scoring 34 in the first quarter," said Helmer. "It went downhill from there. In my opinion, Garden City outplayed us for the last three quarters."

Butler outscored Garden 18-13 in the second quarter to go to halftime with a 52-23 advantage. The second half saw Butler narrowly outscore the Broncbusters, 37-32. Regardless of that, the Grizzlies held anywhere from a 30-40 point lead throughout, winning by 34.

Wallace led Butler with 17 points, also adding six rebounds and two assists. Colvin finished with 15 points, four steals and three assists. Randi Harding tallied 10 points and four rebounds and Jada Hopson had 11 points and a team-high tying six rebounds. J'unti Franklin led the Grizzlies with seven assists.

Garden City's Antonicia Moultrie had a game-high 18 points and 15 rebounds as she was one of the two remaining players towards the end of the game. Stevi Yancy scored 14 to go with eight assists.

Broncbuster head coach Greg Franklin was ejected in the third quarter. Two other Garden City players also fouled out in the third quarter, so the Broncbusters played with four to begin the final period. Opal Hardy fouled out with 6:20 remaining in the game to drop the player count to three and Stecvi Yancy was the last player to exit with 3:57 to go.

Butler held Garden City to 31.6% shooting and outrebounded the Broncbusters 42-27. The turnover margin was slim with Butler coughing the ball up 18 times to Garden City's 19.

"I feel good but my expectations are so high for this group of kids that we have to be better," said Helmer.

The Grizzlies turn their attention to Saturday as No. 14 ranked Dodge City visits the Power Plant for a 2 p.m. tipoff.

"Dodge is an unbelievable team and they are incredibly coached," said Helmer. "They'll be ready to go on Saturday and it will be a big time game."