WEXFORD — No Bresnahan? No problem.

Despite senior point guard Olivia Bresnahan missing most of the game due to foul trouble, Butler's girls basketball team scrapped its way to a 51-46 win at North Allegheny Saturday night.

The Golden Tornado (5-5, 3-0) won despite committing 22 turnovers and sinking just 10 of 24 free throws.

The win was Butler's third in a row — all section contests.

"I'm so proud of these girls," Butler coach Dorothea Epps said. "This is the first time Olivia was in foul trouble early in a game. We had to play without her for nearly three quarters.

"The team responded to that challenge. We're not one-dimensional. We're not a one-player team. We knew that and tonight, the girls proved that."

The lead changed hands 11 times, the score was tied four times and neither team ever had a double-digit lead.

Bresnahan went to the bench with three fouls early in the second quarter. She returned to the lineup to begin the second half and was whistled for an offensive foul just six seconds into the period.

She did not return to the floor again until 5:51 remained in the game.

"Their team did a great job keeping the game close until Olivia got back in there," North Allegheny coach Sherri McConnell said. "Then she made some plays to help them win down the stretch.

"A lot of their girls stepped up to win a big road game. It's great for them, disappointing for us."

North Allegheny (5-4, 1-2) shot just 25 percent from the floor — 16 of 63 — in dropping its third straight game.

Butler was a nightmarish 4 of 17 from the foul line before sinking six in a row in the final minute to ice the win.

With the Tornado ahead 45-44. Katresa Savisky sank two free throws with 52.6 seconds remaining. Kelly Brennan answered with a jumper at the other end for the Tigers.

Casie Cygan stepped to the line and drained a pair with 23 seconds left, giving Butler a 49-46 edge. Freshman Caitlin Baxter stole the ball just past midcourt and flipped it to Cygan, who was fouled again.

Cygan sank both free throws with 13 seconds to go, finally clinching the Butler victiory.

"I have no answer for it," Epps said of Butler's odd free throw numbers. "I can't figure it out. If you can, let me know."

Savisky came off the bench to score 16 points and add five rebounds for Butler. Cygan had 16 points and eight boards.

"Those two really filled the void, but we got a lot of good minutes from a lot of people," Epps said.

Baxter had six points and six rebounds off the bench for the Tornado.

"With Olivia out, our other guards just had to pick it up and that's what happened," Savisky said. "We do have to improve at the line, though.

"In game situations, we have to block everything else out, step to the line and toss 'em in."

Savisky scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half.

"Katresa's good enough to be a starter, but some players simply do better and are more effective coming off the bench," Epps said. "She's that type of player."

Alexis Aiken paced North Allegheny with 14 points and nine rebounds. Brennan added 13 points, but sank just four of 21 shots from the floor. Zoe Calabrese had eight rebounds for the Tigers, who had a 43-41 edge on the boards. NA had 19 turnovers.

"We graduated six seniors last year, so we have some new kids in the lineup," McConnell said. "Still, we have to shoot the ball better. This was a good section battle and I'm sure we'll have another one with them."

Epps said this win could reap further benefits down the road.

"This was a good experience," she said. "The girls showed they can do well without Olivia on the floor. That's big because this could happen again."

BUTLER 51Casey Fleeger 0-3 0-2 0, Katresa Savisky 6-9 3-4 16, Becky Nowacki 0-0 0-0 0, Olivia Bresnahan 3-8 0-7 6, Amanda Dymun 0-1 0-0 0, Emily Wise 0-2 0-0 0, Casie Cygan 5-12 6-9 16, Mackenzie O'Donnell 3-6 1-2 7, Caitlin Baxter 3-5 0-0 6.

Totals: 20-46 10-24 51.

NORTH ALLEGHENY 46Leslie Barksdale 0-0 0-0 0, Alysia Libby 0-7 1-2 1, Alexis Aiken 4-11 4-4 14, Kelly Brennan 4-21 5-6 13, Chandler Caufield 1-5 0-0 2, Emily Bergman 0-3 0-0 0, Zoe Calabrese 3-7 1-3 7, Alex Blumer 4-7 0-0 8.

Totals: 16-63 12-17 46.

Butler 14 8 12 17—51North Allegheny 8 11 14 13—463-point goals: Butler 1 (Savisky); North Allegheny 2 (Aiken 2).

Junior varsity: North Allegheny, 50-47 (B: Mackenzie O'Donnell 15, Caitlin Baxter 9; NA: Jessica Mancosh 23)

Wednesday: Butler at Shaler