Butler women set season-high marks in home win over Bethel JV

With a balanced attack and a hot shooting effort, the Butler women rolled to a 100-41 home win over Bethel College JV on Tuesday at the Power Plant.

The 16th-ranked Grizzlies (8-0 overall) set season-high marks in made field goals (41), made three-pointers (9) and assists (21) while matching a season-high with 100 points.

Butler also had season-high bests in both field-goal percentage (56.2 percent, 41-of-73) and three-point shooting (45 percent, 9-of-20), while limiting Bethel to just 24 percent (11-of-46) on the evening.

Butler jumped out to a 14-0 lead to open the contest and never looked back, as Jalise Smallwood and Kyla Callins both hit three-pointers during the opening run. After Bethel made its first basket before the midway point of the quarter, Butler would end the quarter on a 17-2 run for a 31-4 lead. The Grizzlies made 71 percent (12-of-17) from the field in the opening quarter.

Taylor Birch, who led Butler with a season-high 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting behind the arc, had the hot hand in the second quarter by hitting four three-pointers in a two-minute span. The Grizzlies made a 14-0 run during that time, also getting a basket from Lauryn Snipes.

Butler added a 24-4 third-quarter run to push the lead to 62, with Criste'On Waters hitting three consecutive baskets to end the run.

Butler hit the 100-point mark for the second time this season when Jaelynn McLaurian made a layup with 1:05 to play.

Defensively, Butler forced 25 turnovers and scored 35 points off Bethel's turnovers. The Grizzlies also dominated the paint, where they outscored the Threshers 56-10.

In addition to Birch's 15 points, Callins posted a double-double with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and 10 rebounds. Snipes (12), Waters (11) and Camille Downs (10) also reached double figures in points.

Butler will finish out non-conference play this Sunday with a home game against No. 19 Iowa Western (3-3) at 1:00 p.m. After opening the season 3-0, the Reivers dropped three-straight games at the Midland College WNIT, including falling to No. 10 Seward County and No. 22 Odessa, Texas.

Following Iowa Western, Butler will then begin Jayhawk Conference play at home against Seward County (6-1) next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

NOTES: Butler improved to 6-0 overall all-time against Bethel College JV... For the first time this season, all 12 Grizzlies scored in the contest and had at least one field goal each... The eight-game winning streak matches the second-longest streak under head coach Mike Helmer. Butler won eight straight towards the end of the 2012-13 season. Butler's longest win streak under Helmer is 30 games, which came during the Grizzlies' NJCAA Elite Eight season in 2013-14