Butler women reach 20 wins with road win at Pratt

PRATT, Kan. – With a strong second-half defensive effort, the Butler women earned its 20th win of the season with a 59-36 road win at Pratt on Saturday.

The Grizzlies, who outscored Pratt 35-14 in the second half, forced 21 steals and scored 22 points off of turnovers.

Butler (20-6 overall, 10-3 Jayhawk West) held a 24-22 lead the the break, despite going without a field goal for an 8:31 stretch in the first half.

Jurnee Reid and Katie Palmer made back-to-back baskets to put Butler up 15-10 with 12:26 before half. Pratt then answered with a 9-0 run to take a 19-15 lead.

After Palmer's basket, the Grizzlies managed just three free throws and didn't make another basket until Kynadi Johnson scored at the 3:45 mark off an Ashlyn McBride steal.

Johnson and Reid added baskets to give Butler the two-point lead at half.

Butler opened the second half with a 15-5 run. Kynadi Johnson scored a three-point play, then Ashley Gibson followed with a fast-break layup on a steal at the 12:48 mark, giving Butler a 39-27 lead.

From that point, Butler kept the margin over double digits. Leading 42-32 with 8:43 to play, the Grizzlies put the game out of reach with a late 17-2 run.

Jurnee Reid led all scorers with 17 points, while Ashley Gibson added 14 points and seven rebounds in the win.

Butler has now reached the 20-win plateau three years in a row and four out of the last five seasons under head coach Mike Helmer.

Butler will next host Cloud County on Wednesday at the Power Plant. Tip off is at 5:30 p.m.