The #17 Butler Grizzlies rallied from eight down to defeat the Seward County Saints 94-93 with Saturday afternoon and evening at the Power Plant in El Dorado. Butler’s Josiah Kirkwood hit a right elbow jumper with 1.5 remaining for the win. Seward led 89-81 with 4:12 remaining. The Saints did not score a field goal in the final 5 minutes of the game. Seward lost all three games this week including back to back one point losses.
Butler took a 16-9 lead before SCCC cut the lead to 16-14. Butler took a 34-24 lead with 8:13 remaining. The Grizzlies took a 40-25 lead before a 10-0 run made it 40-35. The Saints finished the first half on a 23-3 run to lead 48-43 at the half. Butler led 60-54 with 14 minutes remaining and led 62-54. A Bailey Milligan three pointer made it 62-61 Butler with 12:04 remaining. Brooks Powers went to the floor to collect a lose ball and found Awit Mamer for a dunk on the other end to make it 65-62 Seward with 11:03 remaining. Seward took a 70-63 lead. With 5:30 remaining, the Grizzlies took an 81-80 lead. The Saints used an 8-0 run to lead 88-81 with 4:35 to play. Seward still led 89-81 with 3:29 to play. Seward did not score for the next three minutes as Butler cut the lead to 89-87 with 1:13 remaining. A BCC three pointer gave the Grizzlies the 90-89 lead with 32.6 seconds left.
The Black Hills Energy Player of the Game is Antonio Williams with 24 points. Bailey Milligan scored a career high 21 points. Awit Mamer scored 10.
Seward shot 51 percent from the field making 12-24 three pointers and 29-40 from the free throw line. Butler shot 43 percent from the field making 12-35 from three and 24-31 at the foul line. Seward out rebounded the Grizzlies 40-29. But the turnovers were costly as the Saints coughed up 26 turnovers and Butler led points off turnovers 35-18.
Butler is 18-7 overall and 14-5 in the Jayhawk. Seward falls to 16-10 overall and 11-9 in the Jayhawk. Seward loses their sixth straight at Butler. SCCC has dropped five straight road games. The Saints host Independence Wednesday night at 8pm on 1270 and 92.3.
