SAINT LEO, Fla.  – Alex Button dropped a career-high 27 points to carry the Saint Leo women's basketball team to an 82-67 victory over the Florida Tech Panthers on Saturday night. The sophomore guard went 8-for-10 from the floor, hitting all four three-pointers, and capped the night off at the line going 7-for-10. She finished just shy of a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Saint Leo (3-3, 1-0 SSC) opened the conference season with four Lions recording double-figures. In addition to Button's performance, freshman guard Amanda Ulrich earned 20 points followed by sophomore Olivia Lough with 14 and freshman Casey O'Shaughnessy with 12. The Green and Gold converted 23 points off the Panthers turnovers while 11 points were contributed from the bench.
 
Florida Tech's (3-3, 0-1 SSC) efforts saw five Panthers put up double-digit points. ­­The east coast visitors earned 22 points off the bench while forcing 11 lead changes.
 
"This was a phenomenal overall game," said head coach Anthony Crocitto. The Lions' four-year head coach was ecstatic to comment on the collective effort. "Button dominated both ends of the floor. Lough's second-half contributions were incredible. Ulrich set the tone early and is doing amazing things on the floor for us besides scoring. Montia Moon stepped in for Gina Brierley and brought the energy!"
 
Crocitto continued "we certainly need to shoot free throws better and cut down on turnovers. But, boy, I'm proud of this group and how they responded to a grueling trip last week."
 
Saint Leo clinched the conference opener in the Marion Bowman Activities Center on a 10-0 run, with all points coming from the charity stripe.
 
"We look forward to Flagler as they are a solid athletic opponent. We must continue to play better defense on Tuesday."
 
Beyond The Box

• Alex Button surpassed her previous career-high of 17 points against Shaw in 2018-19, now set at 27 points.
• Amanda Ulrich has recorded double-figure scoring in five of the six games.
• Olivia Lough's 14 points matched her career-high and recorded her sophomore campaign's best offensive performance.

 
Up Next
Saint Leo continues action in the Marion Bowman Activities Center on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. hosting the Flagler Saints.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo women's basketball, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.