Seward County Pulls Away Late to Hand Butler 130–110 Defeat

LIBERAL, Kan. – The No. 18 Butler Grizzlies dropped a tough one on the road Saturday evening, falling to Seward County 130–110.

The Grizzlies (9–4, 5–2) struggled to stay out of foul trouble and couldn't overcome a difficult second half, allowing Seward (11–3, 6–2) to take control of the Jayhawk Conference standings, now sitting one game ahead of Butler.

Both teams shot exceptionally well in the first half. Butler hit 57.9 percent from the field and went 9-for-17 from three, while Seward shot 60.7 percent and attempted an eye‑popping 25 free throws before halftime. The Grizzlies committed 17 first‑half fouls but still managed to take a lead into the break. Freshman guard Tristan Hankins scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep, while sophomore Josiah Kirkwood added 13 points and went a perfect 5-for-5 at the line. AJ Pierre‑Jerome scored on the low block at the buzzer to give Butler a 61–59 halftime advantage.

Seward quickly reclaimed the lead early in the second half, going up 68–66 with 17:41 remaining and never trailing again. Butler continued to battle, but each time the Grizzlies closed the gap, Seward's Korbin Dowdell responded with timely baskets. Butler trailed just 105–100 with 4:55 left, prompting first‑year Saints head coach Austin Downing to call a 30‑second timeout. Seward answered with back‑to‑back threes out of the break, pushing the lead back to double digits and pulling away late for the 130–110 win.

Foul trouble defined the night. Butler committed 40 team fouls, sending Seward to the line 63 times. The Saints converted 46 of those attempts. Butler reached the line frequently as well but struggled, shooting just 56.4 percent (22-of-39). Five Grizzlies fouled out.

Hankins led Butler with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Kirkwood added 19 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Freshman Xavier Brown provided a spark off the bench with 20 points, five assists, and three rebounds.

With the loss, Butler drops to 5–2 in conference play and falls into a four‑way tie for second place with Cowley, Dodge City, and Independence. The Grizzlies return to action in 2026, traveling to Great Bend to face the Barton Cougars on Saturday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m.