The women’s basketball team did all it could to stay alive in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League Championship tournament on March 12, even overcoming a 21-point first half deficit, but it wasn’t enough as the host Vikings would claim a 79-68 victory.

The Bulldogs finished the season 20-10, which is the program’s best record since the 1997-98 season when the team finished 25-6.

Freshman Brittany Bowen finished with a team-high 17 points, while sophomore Susan Lester tallied her ninth double-double of the season with 15 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Juniors Tara Miller (14 points) and Lade Akande (11 points) also contributed for Butler.

The Bulldogs were down just five at halftime, despite being down 33-12 in the early going. In fact, they were able to jump ahead not long into the second half to attain their first lead of the game.

Foul trouble would plague Butler, however and the Vikings took full advantage of it, sinking 10 free throws en route to taking back the lead. An eventual 15-4 run late in the game would seal the victory for Cleveland State. In the end, it was too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.