Butler loses lead late, falls to Cloud County, 57-54

EL DORADO, Kan. – Cloud County led just once on Saturday night against the Butler women at the Power Plant, but it was a lead that came when it mattered most as the Thunderbirds came from behind to beat the Grizzlies, 57-54.

Cloud hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the game, taking the lead for the first time on a long-range shot by Megan Stagner with 16.8 seconds to play.

Butler turned the ball over with 8.9 seconds to play, then fouled. After Cloud hit a pair of free throws, the Grizzlies had 8.3 seconds left, but their potential game-tying shot was off to the left, sealing a bitter defeat.

The Grizzlies had dominated the game until the final seconds. Butler raced to a 9-0 lead and would later go up by as many 13 points, which was the margin at halftime, 35-22.

Butler was still up by double digits at 42-31 after a Chantee Louis 3-pointer with 12:53 to go. Cloud would answer with a 9-0 run of its own to get within two points with 8:46 to play.

The Grizzlies were able to hold on to the lead and even extended the advantage to six points after a basket by Jamillah Bonner with four minutes left in the game. Butler still led by five, 54-49, after an April Miller basket with 1:54 to play, before Cloud scored the final eight points of the game.

Jamillah Bonner led Butler with 22 points and eight rebounds. She was the only Grizzly in double figures in scoring, followed by Destiny Whitehead with seven points and Samantha Satterlee with six points. Aleesha Coulter led Cloud with 20 points.

Butler drops to 16-12 overall on the season, with a 5-9 record in Jayhawk West Conference action. The Grizzlies hit the road on Wednesday for a game at Seward County.