Butler falls by one on the road to the Tigers

Story by Kalon Fullerton, Butler Athletics

The Butler Grizzlies dropped their second straight game on Wednesday, falling to the Cowley Tigers 57-56 at W.S. Scott Auditorium in Arkansas City.

Syncere Harrod found double figures for the sixth time this season, leading the Grizzlies on the scoreboard with 11 points. She was the only Grizzly player to record double figures on the night, with Kaylee Nero and Cymirah Williams both finishing with eight.

Cowley's three point shooting was the key to the victory tonight, as Butler outshot the Tigers from the field, finishing 40%, but the Tigers finished with nine makes from beyond the arc, including two clutch threes in a tightly contested fourth quarter. The game finished with seven ties and 11 lead changes, and neither team was able to extend the lead farther than five points. Butler led the Tigers by two points going into the fourth quarter, but Syncere Harrod's three point shot with 23 seconds left could not find the basket, and the Tigers were able to survive.

The Grizzlies led most of the statistical categories. They outshot and outrebounded the Tigers,finishing  with 33 rebounds. The Grizzlies narrowly lost the turnover battle, finishing with 16 points off turnovers. Butler's bench dominated the Tigers, outscoring Cowley's bench, 29-0. But it just wasn't enough down the stretch.

The loss will put Butler's record at 15-10 on the year and 10-10 in conference play. They'll try to get back over .500 in the Jayhawk Conference with the second game on back to back nights when they play rivals Hutchinson at the Power Plant on Thursday.