Thanks to a superb defensive performance and a great game from senior forward Danielle Lawrence, the Butler Lady Bears shutdown the powerful Elizabethtown Lady Panthers attack and won its fourth state title, 49-38 at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green. The Bears started the game off with a 20-9 first quarter run backed by a couple of three pointers and a great defensive stand that set the tone. Butler took a 28-22 halftime lead and when the Lady Panthers made a run to make it close after three quarters at 35-32, the Lady Bears closed the game out by outscoring Elizabethtown 14-6 in the final 8:00.
The Lady Bears had to find a way to stop the powerful Lady Panther offense which had outscored its last three state opponents by 15 (Sacred Heart), 21 (Anderson) and 15 (George Rogers Clark), but were able to force turnovers, bad shots and keep coach Tim Mudd’s team off balance. The Gatorade Girls Player of the Year Erin Boley was top scorer with 18-points, but her strength was making everyone else better. Butler didn’t allow that and as a result no other Lady Panther scored in double figures as the Lady Bears became only the second team this season to limit Elizabethtown to less than 40 points.
