BUTLER TWP — Having your inside presence on the bench is never a good formula for success.

That proved true for the Butler girls basketball team Monday.

Mackenzie O'Donnell, the team's leading scorer, picked up her second foul just 2:49 into the game and spent the rest of the first half on the bench.

She helped the Tornado open a 7-0 lead on the Tigers, but North Allegheny broke a 23-23 tie by scoring the final 11 points of the first half en route to a 66-51 victory in Section 3-AAAA action.

O'Donnell scored 17 of her game-high 23 points in the second half, but the Tornado could not pull back.

“When your best player is not on the floor, it hurts,” Butler coach Dorothea Epps said. “For a young team, they need to have her leadership out there. She has to find a way to stay out on the floor.

“The kids had to adapt and then they went on that 11-0 run. ... The bottom line is in the second half, they didn't have a way to stop her inside,” Epps added.

Compounding the problem was the Tigers' ability at the free-throw line. NA connected on 26 of 33 attempts — including 10 of 12 in the fourth quarter — while Butler made just 13 of 31.

“It keeps you around if you weather the storm,” Epps said. “If you don't make your free throws, especially against a team like NA, you're done.”

Butler (6-12, 3-7) used a Sam Marak free throw, then three consecutive baskets by O'Donnell for the quick lead, but the Tigers began to climb their way back.

Butler held a 10-5 advantage before Sam Blue, Alexis Aiken and Taylor Brennan each scored in a one-minute span to give the Tigers (15-4, 6-3) their first lead with 1:43 left in the frame.

“I'm pleased with how we handled the situation,” North Allegheny coach Sherri McConnell said. “I told the girls whenever adversity strikes, things can snowball.

“I'm proud of our girls. They stayed focused, they stuck together and took care of things,” McConnell added.

The lead changed hands eight more times before Makenzie Huey tied the game for Butler with 2:38 before halftime.

The Tigers, however, took charge from there.

Jamie Robatisin scored before Aiken had a steal and score, Brennan added another basket and Jackie Dallier two free throws — this time in a 75-second span — before Brennan drained a 3-pointer with one second left to give the Tigers a 34-23 lead at the break.

“That was a great confidence builder,” McConnell said. “That last final possession, it's something we've worked on all year.

“We were very poised throughout it and then we knocked down the 3-pointer just before going into halftime,” McConnell added.

When O'Donnell sank two free throws and added a basket with 4:06 left in the third period, Butler pulled to within 10 points, 48-38, but got no closer the rest of the way.

Brennan led the Tigers with 20 points, Aiken had 19 and Jessica Mancosh added 11 points. Butler also received eight points apiece from Jennifer Barry and Julia Baxter, the latter all coming in the first half.

NORTH ALLEGHENY 66Jackie Dallier 1 3-4 5, Maddie Nellis 0 0-0 0, Taylor Brennan 7 5-6 20, Chrissy Figan 1 1-2 3, Jamie Robatisin 1 2-2 4, Alexis Aiken 3 13-17 19, Jessica Mancosh 3 2-2 11, Sophie Seel 0 0-0 0, Sam Blue 2 0-0 4. Totals: 18 26-33 66.

BUTLER 51Makenzie Huey 1 1-2 3, Jennifer Barry 4 0-3 8, Alyssa DiPippa 1 0-0 2, Natalie Barkus 0 4-9 4, Mackenzie O'Donnell 8 7-15 23, Sam Marak 1 1-2 3, Jasmine Bailey 0 0-0 0, Lauren Bresnahan 0 0-0 0, Julia Baxter 4 0-0 8, Kalynn Callihan 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 19 13-31 51.

North Allegheny 13 21 11 21—66Butler 13 10 8 20—513-point goals: North Allegheny 4 (Mancosh 3, Brennan).

Thursday: Butler at Baldwin

Friday: Oakland Catholic at North Allegheny