It was a tough start for the Bears as they went down 11-2 early, before Chandler rattled off 7 more points to make it 16-11 at the end of the first quarter. Versailles went on a little bit of a run in the second quarter after Triebel left the game with an injury. At the end of the half, the Tigers had a 35-23 lead.
In the second half, Coach Burch had his team fighting and clawing their way back, shrinking the deficit to 47-40 heading into the fourth and final period. The Bears were able to keep the momentum and fight back to tie the game 54-54 at the end of regulation.
By the end of the game, the Bears roster was depleted, with Mallatt still out with injury (DNP), Jesse Carter (Starter) and Dylon Triebel (Starter) both leaving the game with injuries, and then Senior Chase Payne (Starter) fouling out of the contest. The younger men for the Bears really stepped up and played hard, however the injuries would prove too much for the Bears to overcome as they would fall 62-57.
For the second year in a row the Versailles Tigers would just barley sneak past a severely depleted Butler team (last year the Bears ended the Versailles game with 3 players on the court).
Jake Chandler ended his night with a spectacular 34 points. Delozier, Grubb, Carter, Doll, Payne, and Davidson all recorded points for the Bears as well.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Butler Bears showed tremendous fight in the ballgame.
Photos courtesy of Erin Dubray
