Charles Chaney
Student Sports Media
It is not a happy time right now for Butler men’s basketball, and it proceeded to worsen on Saturday, Feb. 18. The Grizzlies could not overcome yet another first half double-digit deficit, falling to Pratt 95-93.
“Tough loss for us tonight,” Butler Men’s Head Coach Bryan Miller said. “We’ll have to play much better if we want to win against Coffeyville.”
The Grizzlies are now 14-12 overall and 11-12 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Grizzlies now have lost six straight games. It is one of the longest losing streaks in recent Butler men’s history.
Sophomore Jacolby Harris did anything and everything to help Butler stay in the game. He scored 23 points in the first half and 15 in the second. His career high of 38 points are the most for Butler in the last 15 years. It is the second time this season Harris scored at least 30 points. He scored 30 in the win over Barton on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
Semaj Hervey scored 22 points off the bench in the loss, including 4-of-5 from behind the three-point line.
Butler trailed by as many as 15 in the game, falling back 70-55, but a furious comeback ensued and Dominque Bell was hit with a technical foul, sending Hervey to the free throw line to tie it up at 77-all.
Pratt responded with an 8-0 run, and then Harris and Hervey laid their own haymakers back into the gut of the Beavers. Butler tied it up at 87-87 late in the second half and eventually took the lead on bucket by Harris. Butler led 91-89 with 1:05 remaining. It was Butler’s first and only lead of the game.
Jaylon Wilson could not be stopped for Pratt. Wilson scored 28 points, including 5-of-6 from three-point range. It seemed every time Butler needed a stop, it was Wilson who shot the arrow through Butler’s heart of hope.
Butler held the Jayhawk’s leading scorer to only 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting. His two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining were the deal breaker in a Butler victory.
Hervey’s half court heave fell short.
Butler is now in a three-way tie with Garden City and Cowley, who Butler both split with in the regular season, for seventh place. Seventh place is key for the Grizzlies as it could be a home game in the first round of the Region VI tournament, which starts on Thursday, March 2. Though the eighth seed gets a home game vs. No. 9 seed, teams are doing their best to avoid that game as the winner will get Hutchinson, who is 26-1 overall currently and No. 3 in the nation.
Butler and Coffeyville, who is currently tied for fourth with Cloud County, battled on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Power Plant. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. You can hear all Butler basketball on 88.1 KBTL the Grizz and online at butler.listen2myradio.com.