Women open conference play with 77-53 win over Garden

The Butler women raced past Garden City in a convincing 77-53 victory to open Jayhawk Conference play and stay undefeated on the young season.

The Grizzlies (4-0 overall, 1-0 conference) scored the first six points of the game and led 14-4 after one quarter.

Leading 17-9 in the second quarter, Butler went on a 16-0 run beginning with an Awreona Ransom layup. After a Morgan Littlewood layup with 1:49 left in the half, Butler led 33-9.

The Grizzlies led by 20 at the half, 36-16.

Garden City outscored Butler by a point in the third quarter, but the Grizzlies were still up 53-34 going to the fourth.

Garden cut the lead to 16 before Butler went on an 8-0 run, making it a 67-41 game after a Ransom layup with 4:11 remaining.

Ericka Mattingly led Butler with 14 points, while Deztinee Gooden had 13. Jalise Smallwood and Awreona Ransom had 12 points apiece. Kyla Callins led Butler 10 rebounds, while Morgan Littlewood had nine.

Butler will hit the road for the first time this season to take on eighth-ranked Seward County on Wednesday in Liberal. The Saints knocked off Hutchinson 60-47 on Saturday.