#6 Seward Dominates Butler Wire to Wire in Road Victory

The Seward County Lady Saints know a thing or two about home court winning streaks and they decided to show the Butler Lady Grizzlies that it was time for theirs to come to an end Saturday afternoon in El Dorado as Seward led nearly wire to wire in a dominating 61-48 victory to snap the Grizzlies 33 game home court winning streak in the Power Plant. 

In a showdown between two of the Jayhawk West heavyweights, Butler got the first basket of the game, but that was about the end of the thrills for the home team as the Lady Saints scored the next 11 on hoops by four different players to open the game on top 11-3.  It took until the 13:18 mark for the Grizzlies to get their second field goal of the game, but the Lady Saints quickly responded and pushed their lead to double figures after five straight points by Daniela Galindo to go in front 19-8 midway through the half.  The Grizzlies cut it back to a seven point game, but Galindo kept firing, moving Seward's lead back to 10 once again with her second three of the half and a three point play by Kyndal Davis gave the Lady Saints a 28-15 advantage with 3:49 remaining in the first period.  The Lady Saints took their largest lead of the half on a steal and score by Axelle Bernard to make it 34-17 and despite not scoring in the final two minutes of the half, Seward held a comfortable 34-20 lead at the break. 

The Lady Saints defense was suffocating in the first 20 minutes, holding Butler to just 8 first half field goals while forcing 14 Grizzly turnovers in the process.  The Lady Saints shot 40% in the first half and were led by Galindo and Davis who combined for 18 first half points. 

With the Seward guards getting it done on the outside, it opened up space on the inside for the Lady Saint forwards and Tamara Seda took advantage, scoring Seward's first seven points of the second half to open their lead back up to 17 at 41-24.  Another three by Galindo gave Seward an 18 point lead moments later and after a mini run by the Grizzlies, a long ball from Rebekah Hatchard kept Seward's distance from Butler at 14 with 9:05 left in the ballgame.  The Lady Saints went up 20 on a corner three from Davis with 6:11 left and a pair of free throws by Seda after an offensive rebound and foul gave them their biggest lead of the game at 60-39.  Butler made the scoreboard look somewhat better by the final whistle, but despite not scoring a field goal for over six minutes to close the game, the Lady Saints won easily by a score of 61-48. 

As the score indicated, it was a defensive battle throughout as Seward held the Grizzlies to just 30% shooting in the win while the Lady Saints didn't shoot much better themselves at just 32% from the field.  Galindo led Seward with 17 off the bench while Seda and Bernard each chalked up double-doubles in the victory, going for a combined 23 points and 21 rebounds for the Lady Saints in the win.  Seward held Butler's top three scorers, coming in averaging 45 points per game, to just 12 points on 4 of 15 shooting. 

#6 Seward continues their roll, winning their sixth straight game to improve to 18-1 overall and 6-0 in Jayhawk West Conference play on the season.  The 18-1 start is the best for a Lady Saints team since the 2009-2010 season when they began the year 21-1 behind All-American Rachel Barnes.  The loss drops Butler to 15-5 overall and 5-2 in conference action.  Seward has now won 30 of the last 31 matchups between the two dating back to the 1999 season. 

The win sets up a classic matchup Wednesday night in the Greenhouse as the #1 Hutchinson Lady Blue Dragons come to town with a 21-0, 7-0 record on the year to take on the #6 Lady Saints who will enter at 18-1, 6-0.  Seward and Hutch will battle for 1^st place in the Jayhawk West standings at 6:00.  Free tickets are available courtesy of our buyout sponsor Sunflower Bank at their Liberal location or at Pizza Hut and Hutch's. 

#6 SEWARD COUNTY/BUTLER BOX SCORE