Box Score
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler women's basketball team picked up a 66-48 victory against Indiana State on Sunday afternoon to improve their overall record to 3-7. The Bulldogs scored the first 15 points of the contest to grab momentum early and that large lead would hold for the remainder of the game.
Tori Schickel,
Kristen Spolyar,
Taylor Buford and
Sydney Shelton all scored in double figures for BU with Schickel leading the way with 16. The 6-1 forward set the tone for BU early, by scoring 11 of her team-high 16 in the first quarter. Schickel added eight rebounds, two assist, two blocked shots and two steals to her stat line in 32 minutes of action.
Schickel dominating the paint forced Indiana State to double team her in the block which allowed BU to get some open looks from 3-point range. Buford knocked down both of her 3-point field goal attempts and ended the game 5-of-6 from the field. Spolyar and Shelton also ended the game with two made 3-point field goals. For the game BU shot 7-for-14 from distance and added an assist on 17 of their 24 made field goals.
Spolyar and Buford were just as impressive on the opposite end of the court by making life difficult for Ashley Taia. The Sycamore's top scoring threat was held in check to just 14 points. She shot 5-for-18 for the field, including 3-for-7 from behind the arc.
The wire-to-wire win for Butler did come with some bad news as
Brittany Ward was forced to leave the game in the first quarter with a foot injury. Ward jumped into the starting lineup and scored the first two points of the game. She exited the contest after seven minutes and was unable to return.
With Ward forced to the sideline, the Bulldogs turned to
Shae Brey and
Kaela Hodges for extra minutes. The duo played great interior defense allowing BU to win the points in the paint battled 26-16. Brey was in the box score with eight rebounds, three blocked shots and three points in just 16 minutes.
Butler will step away from the hardwood next week as the student-athletes prepare for final exams. The next game will take place at Green Bay on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Tip against the Phoenix is set for 7 PM.
