The Butler Cubs age 60-to-64 women's basketball team had an uphill climb Friday at the 2005 Summer National Senior Games.

After losing twice in the seeding round and facing a fifth seed and four games Friday, it appeared the Cubs would leave the Games without a medal.

Think again.

The Cubs won three out of four games, including a thrilling 27-25 win over Tennessee, to earn the bronze medal at the University of Pittsburgh's Petersen Events Center.

"That's a big comeback," said Cubs coach Don McCollough, who lives in Chicora. "After the last two days, maybe we weren't going to do anything. We had the No. 5 seed and maybe some of the teams took us kind of lightly."

Exciting was the word for Friday as the Cubs beat North Carolina in their first game of the 3-on-3, half-court tournament before edging Charlotte, N.C., 30-28 in the second game.

A one-point loss on a buzzer beater against Connecticut kept the Cubs off the top of the medal stand.

The Cubs followed up that loss with the win over Tennessee, keyed by the winning basket by Carol McCollough, the coach's wife, with less than 20 seconds remaining.

"I called a timeout and drew up a play," Don McCollough said. "I said we're either going to win it or go to overtime."

They won it.

McCollough finished with 13 of the team's 27 points in the bronze medal game.

But the play of reserves Kathy Blair and Jane Amiotte in the first game of the day was as important as any last-second bucket.

Blair, of Sarver, and Amiotte, of Zelienople, played valuable minutes to give some of the starters a breather.

"They helped us survive the four games we had to play," Don McCollough said. "If it hadn't been for them, we wouldn't have gotten as far as we did."

The other members of the team are Karen Adams of Bethlehem and Mary Jo Garmey and Bobbie Sicchitano of Cranberry Township.

The Cubs lost to San Diego twice in the seeding games, dropping them to a fifth seed.

"San Diego was the best team," Don McCollough said. "That's why they won it."

The Cubs had just three practices together before the Games.