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The Lady Grizzlies five game win streak came to a stop on Wednesday, Dec. 7 in Hutchinson. The women lost to the nationally ranked Lady Blue Dragons 74-59. Kirea Rogers for the Lady Dragons was tough to defend with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Leading the way for the Lady Grizzlies was Dakota Vann with 14. The next matchup against the rival Lady Dragons will be Saturday, Feb. 11 in El Dorado.
The Butler women ended 2016 with a 69-59 win on the road in Concordia over Cloud County on Sunday, Dec. 11. The Grizzlies led 32-20 at halftime, but a strong third quarter brought the Thunderbirds back into the game, as they grabbed the 44-40 lead going into the final 10 minutes. Butler made a statement of their own in the fourth quarter, outscoring the T-Birds 29-15 in the final frame to seal the road victory. Sophomore Dakota Vann led the way for Butler with 23 points and eight rebounds.
The Grizzly women’s team started firing on all cylinders against the Pratt Beavers on Wednesday, Jan. 4. They started the game on a great run on defense as they pride themselves in directing the other team’s rhythm. The Grizzlies won easily over Beavers by a score of 76-28. Though the victory was dominant, sophomore Dakota Vann suffered an ankle injury. The only issue for the team was the post game antics as there was a fight that broke out and as a result of that fight Butler player Alecia Gulledge and Raegan Sanchez were both suspended.
It is hard to go out on a basketball court and compete without three of your main players and the Butler women witnessed that first hand in a 54-46 loss at Nellis Hall in Coffeyville on Saturday, Jan. 7. The Grizzlies were without leading scorer Dakota Vann because of an injury and two other players who were suspended by the National Junior College Association after a fight in the previous game against Pratt. Butler was a step slow while the Red Ravens jumped out to a 21-9 lead after the first quarter and used that to pace them throughout the final three quarters. Butler was led in scoring by sophomore Kyeria Hannah’s 16 points. Freshman Kendriana Washington added 14 points for the Grizzlies.
Butler women trailed 20-15 with 1:12 left to in the first quarter and went on a massive run. The Grizzlies used a 16-0 run to take the lead and then another 29-11 spur to take a commanding lead and never let up. Butler pounded Neosho County 79-49 on Wednesday, Jan. 14. Kyria Hannah led Butler with 18 points. HaLee Roland had a career-high 16 points, and Kendriana Washington had her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Butler improved to 11-4 overall and 8-4 in conference.
The Lady Grizzlies welcomed back three key players in the Jan. 18 thrashing of Garden City, 76-46 at the Power Plant in El Dorado. Butler lost the previous matchup by one in Garden City in November, but proved revenge is ever so sweet. Butler led 38-18 at halftime and cruised to their 12th victory of the season. Sophomore Alecia Gulledge scored a season-high 20 in the win coming off of the bench.
Butler women held the Seward County Lady Saints to only two points in the second quarter, which is a program record, but it was not enough. Sophomore Kyeria Hannah missed one of two free throws that would have tied the game with 11.5 seconds left. Butler had multiple opportunities in the final six seconds to tie the game, but never got a shot off. Butler fell to No. 4 Seward County 50-46 on Saturday, Jan. 21.
The Grizzlies women overcame a very slow first-half, but were able to use a strong second-half en route to a 73-42 win on the road at Colby on Monday, Jan. 23. Butler used a 5-0 run late in the first-half to grab a 31-26 lead going into intermission and then used a 13-0 run to begin the second-half to pull away from the Trojans. Butler shot poorly from the field, but performed better in that category than Colby. Sophomores Dakota Vann and Nakylia Carter led the Grizzlies with 13 points apiece.