WEXFORD — Butler hung around WPIAL power North Allegheny for three quarters when the teams met a month ago.

No such luck this time.

The Golden Tornado were in the game for all of two minutes Saturday afternoon before a 13-0 run powered North Allegheny to a 73-39 Section 3-AAAA girls basketball victory on the Tigers' floor.

“Not only did they take it to us, we played a terrible game,” Butler coach Dorothea Epps said. “On the defensive end and offensive end, we executed nothing.”

After a pair of Caitlin Baxter layups knotted the score at four two minutes into the game, the Tigers (17-3, 7-3) went off.

Senior guard Kelly Brennan scored her team's next five points — sinking a free throw, layup and short jumper — and canned a pair of treys at the end of the run.

Brennan scored 12 of her game-high 21 points in the first quarter. North Allegheny had a 23-8 lead after eight muinutes and the game was essentially over.

“It was important for us to get off to a good start,” Tigers coach Sherri McConnell said. “We defended their cuts to the basket much better this time.”

Butler (3-15, 1-9) went without a field goal for nearly eight minutes before Shelby Johnston stuck back an offensive rebound with 2:52 left in the first half. That bucket only made the score 37-15.

It was also the first Tornado field goal of the day by someone other than Baxter.

“We're standing around waiting for Cait to do all the work,” Epps said. “We're expecting that girl to bring the ball up the floor, shoot, score, pretty much do everything ... That's just not right.”

Baxter had 16 points and six rebounds for the Tornado. She took 21 shots while no teammate attempted more than five. MacKenzie O'Donnell had six rebounds, Jasmine Bailey five and freshman Lauren Bresnahan four.

Butler trailed 71-27 with 4:57 to play before scoring 12 of the game's final 14 points.

“Playing on a Saturday afternoon like this, outside the routine, we had to come out focused,” McConnell said. “I thought we played consistently well most of the day.

“In terms of a team maturing and getting ready for the task at hand in the playoffs, that's a good sign.”

NA had a 40-34 edge in rebounding. Butler had 11 turnovers to the Tigers' five.

Brennan had eight rebounds to go with her 21 points. Alexis Aiken had 17 points and 10 boards while Leah Haas, averaging just three points a game, struck for 14. Maddie Nellis had five assists.

“Leah's one of those players who does the little behind the scenes stuff well,” McConnell said. “It was nice to see her spotlighted a bit today.”

North Allegheny won its fifth straight game and eight of nine. The Tornado have dropped five in a row.

“We've got three games left and we're still working at it,” Epps said. “We haven't been competitive in every game and that's been disappointing.

We're looking for a spark, a positive finish that we can carry into next year.”

BUTLER 39Natalie Barkus 1-2 1-2 3, Morgan McLaughlin 0-3 0-0 0, MacKenzie O'Donnell 1-5 1-2 3, Sam Marak 1-5 4-4 6, Jasmine Bailey 0-4 2-2 2, Emily Eyth 0-2 0-0 0, Shelby Johnston 2-5 2-4 6, Ali Houk 0-1 1-2 1, Caitlin Baxter 7-21 2-8 16, Lauren Bresnahan 1-2 0-0 2.

Totals: 13-50 13-24 39.

NORTH ALLEGHENY 73Maddie Nellis 0-3 1-2 1, Taylor Brennan 1-3 0-0 2, Alexis Aiken 4-12 9-13 17, Kelly Brennan 8-13 3-6 21, Jessica Mancosh 3-7 0-0 8, Leah Haas 7-9 0-0 14, Sophie Seel 0-1 0-0 0, Zoe Calabrese 3-5 0-0 6, Sam Blue 2-3 0-0 4, Danielle Turk 0-1 0-0 0.

Totals: 28-57 13-21 73.

Butler 8 10 7 14—39North Allegheny 23 17 17 16—733-point goals: Butler 0; North Allegheny 4 (K.Brennan 2, Mancosh 2).

Junior varsity: North Allegheny, 63-22 (B: Sam Marak 6, NA: Taylor Brennan 21, Jamie Robinson 11)

Monday: Oakland Catholic at Butler