Sophomore Johnnathan Lyndsey goes for a layup against Allen County. The Grizzlies lost 85-76.
Photo by Ed Bailey
Charles Chaney
Student Sports Media
The Butler’s men’s basketball team went to Iola and was sent back to El Dorado with an 85-76 set back by the hands of the Red Devils of Allen County on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Butler fell behind early and often against Allen and never really could find their footing to get over the edge.
“We didn’t have any focus,” Butler Head Coach Bryan Miller said.”
Butler saw an 8-0 run from the Red Devils, putting Allen County up 20-13 with 9:58 left in the first half.
Sophomore Will Adler never found his footing and was 0-of-5 from three in the first half it was epitome of what Butler was trying to do all night long. It was not until the second half we saw the sharpshooter LaJuan Hardy finally find his stroke. He nailed four three-pointers in the waning minutes of the second half, but it was really all for naught.
“There was no toughness,” Miller said. “We have to do a better job.”
Butler who trailed 40-34 at halftime, only shot 40 percent for the game, while allowing Allen County shoot 55 percent.
Jacolby Harris fouled out in the second half with only eight points on 1-of-12 shooting.
Sophomore Johnnathan Lindsey finished 14 points and 11 rebounds. It was Lindsey’s sixth triple-double of the season and third in his last four games.
Allen led by as many as 15 in the second half before Butler really made a surge. Bad positioning on defense, leading to multiple and-ones were just too much for Butler to overcome.
Butler had cut the Red Devil’s lead down to five, but really could get no closer with no defensive stops. Jah-Kobe Womach and DaRon Mims were too much to handle for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies had an opportunity to move into third place in the Jayhawk Conference, but fell short with the loss.
Butler fell to 14-7 overall and 11-7 in the Jayhawk.
Karlon McSpadden scored 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting in his first start a month.
“Karlon has really stepped up,” Miller said. “He’s gaining minutes with each game.”
Hardy led all scorers with 27 points, 21 in the second half.
Womack led Allen with 20 points off the bench. Starter Mims scored 16 points in the second half after only being held to four in the first half.
For Butler, it was their first loss to Allen since Nov. 12, 2011. The Grizzlies had won nine straight over the Red Devils before the loss.
“Just going through drills,” Miller said. “We can get better if we just execute the drills and share the ball.”
