Saints Lose Heartbreaker at No. 17 Butler

EL DORADO, Kan. – Butler's Josiah Kirkwood put in a jumper with 1.5 seconds to play and the Seward Saints lost 94-93 at the Power Plant on Saturday afternoon.

Seward (16-10, 11-9 KJCCC) drops its third consecutive game while Butler (18-7, 14-5) wins its second straight. The Saints have fallen in back-to-back one-possession games after falling 77-76 to Garden City at home Wednesday.

Seward held an 89-81 lead with 4:26 to play but the Grizzlies slowly clawed back and took a 90-89 lead off a three from Tristan Hankins with 32 seconds to play to cap a 9-0 run.

Free throws from Brooks Powers put Seward back ahead 91-90 but Kirkwood raced down the floor and put in a layup with 15 seconds to go to put Butler back ahead 92-91.

Bailey Milligan was fouled on the Saints next possession and made a pair of free throws to put Seward ahead 93-92 with eight seconds to go. Butler then inbounded the ball to Kirkwood, who pulled up from the elbow and made the go-ahead jumper. RJ McKinnie's three-quarter court heave was no good.

Seward did not score a field goal over the last 5:01 of regulation. They shot 7-8 from the free throw line during that stretch.

Antonio Williams Jr. led Seward with 24 points off the bench shooting 6-10 from the field. Bailey Milligan scored 21 points and pulled down four rebounds. Awit Mamer finished with 10 points and dished out six assists. RJ McKinnie had nine points and four rebounds.

Butler was led by Tristan Hankins 21 points. Tim Walker II finished with 17 points. Kirkwood had 14 points and five assists.

Seward won the rebounding battle 40-29. The Saints were hampered by 26 turnovers while Butler turned it over just 14 times. The Grizzlies scored 35 points off turnovers. Seward was 12-24 from three and 26-51 (51.0%) from the field. Butler was 29-67 (43.3%) from the field and 12-35 (34.3%) from three.

Butler took a 14-point lead in the first half at the 6:29 mark. Seward used a 13-0 run to pull back into the game and closed the half on a 7-0 run to lead 48-43 at halftime.

The second half was back and forth but the Saints pulled ahead 70-63 at the 10:39 mark off a pair of Milligan free throws. Butler tied it 73-73 with 8:45 to play and the teams again traded buckets until Seward used the 9-0 run to lead 89-81.

It marks Seward's fifth consecutive loss on the road and the programs sixth straight loss in El Dorado.

Seward returns to the court on Wednesday, hosting Independence at 8 p.m. in The Greenhouse.