SHALER TWP — It may be good for the Butler girls basketball team to get away for a while.

With a trip to Phoenix, Ariz., and the Nike Tournament looming later this week, the Golden Tornado committed more than 30 turnovers in an ugly 43-28 road loss to section foe Shaler Monday night.

Butler had more turnovers than field goal attempts and had seven straight possessions end with a Shaler steal with the game still in the balance in the second half.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Butler coach Dorothea Epps. “We were doing well in the beginning, and then the turnovers just started. That is what has plagued this team. It really wasn’t a hard pressure. Just to turn the ball over by just throwing it to the other team is very frustrating.

“You aren’t going to win many games, whether you are home or away, with 30-something turnovers,” Epps added.

Butler played well in the first quarter, bottling up Shaler with an effective zone and holding the Titans to just two points on 1-of-9 shooting.

Julia Baxter was dominant in the frame, logging six points and four rebounds to stake the Golden Tornado to an 8-2 lead.

Then the struggles began for Butler (3-2, 2-1), which resulted in a 17-16 halftime lead for Shaler (4-1, 1-1).

Things got even worse for the Golden Tornado in the third quarter as Butler had trouble even getting the ball past half court.

“I thought we had turned the corner,” Epps said. “Then we come out here and don’t play well.

“I just don’t get it, personally,” Epps added. “When you have a senior-laden team, you don’t expect that.”

When Butler was able to get into its offensive sets, Baxter shined.

The senior forward led Butler with 16 points.

Butler senior point guard Alyssa DiPippa was playing with a leg injury and scored only four points.

“She’s hurting. She’s just a tough cookie,” Epps said. “She’s on one leg. People don’t know she is that hurt, but she is. She’s like my hero, because she never complains. You ask her if she can still go and you see the pain on her face, but she’s like, ‘Yeah, I can go.’”

Despite the troubles, Butler only trailed 23-22 midway through the third quarter.

But the turnovers really piled up and Shaler went on an 18-2 run to put the game out of reach.

Andi Lydon was key to that run. She scored eight of her game-high 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Butler leaves for Arizona on Wednesday.

Epps said the team may have a new look when it returns.

When asked if it was an opportunity to try different rotations and lineups, Epps smiled and winked.

“Absolutely,” she said.

“You know what, it’s early in the season, but these games count. Big time,” Epps added. “I’ve got to find some kind of rotation where girls are going to take care of the ball. It’s not fair to the seniors who aren’t turning the ball over as much that we continue down that road. I don’t care — senior, junior, sophomore, freshman — whoever can take care of the ball.”

BUTLER 28

Mia Rader 0-1 0-0 0, Alyssa DiPippa 2-7 0-0 4, Liz Kuhn 1-1 0-0 2, Melea Barlow 0-0 0-0 0, Dani Hensel 0-2 0-0 0, Kalynn Callihan 1-5 0-0 2, Jenna Kunst 1-2 0-0 2, Julia Baxter 6-10 4-5 16, Tiana Schaffner 1-2 0-0 2, Kailey Olenick 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 12-31 4-5 28.

SHALER 43

Liz Kline 1-11 2-2 4, Gia Thorpe 5-8 0-1 10, Rylee Donovan 2-4 0-0 5, Andi Lydon 6-15 5-6 17, Olivia Long 0-0 0-0 0, Megan Lydon 1-1 0-0 3, Alliya Duritza 2-5 0-0 4, Maggie Soeder 0-0 0-0 0, Kayla Seidl 0-0 0-0 0, Gabby Lebakken 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 17-45 7-9 43.

Butler 8 8 6 6 — 28

Shaler2 15 11 15 — 43

3-point goals: Butler 0; Shaler 2 (Donovan, M. Lydon)

JV: Shaler 43-24

Thursday: Butler at Nike Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., vs. TBD