Game Notes
 
Marquette at Butler
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Gameday Information
Date: Friday, February 10, 2017 / 7:00 PM
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana / Hinkle Fieldhouse
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com | Watch: BEDN
Series History: Marquette leads the all-time series against Butler 8-7
Last Meeting: Marquette defeated Butler 91-53 on January 15, 2017
 
#17 DePaul at Butler
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Gameday Information
Date: Sunday, February 12, 2017 / 1:00 PM
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana / Hinkle Fieldhouse
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com | Watch: BEDN
Series History: DePaul leads the all-time series against Butler 12-0
Last Meeting: DePaul defeated Butler 100-69 on January 13, 2017
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will host a pair of games at Hinkle Fieldhouse this weekend when Marquette and #17 DePaul visit Indianapolis. Friday's contest against Marquette will be Daddy & Daughter Night for Bulldog fans. Doors open at six for the event with the tip set for 7 PM. #17 DePaul will play at Butler on Sunday at 1 PM.
 
Bulldog Bits
- Sydney Shelton scored a team-high 12 points in the setback to Xavier
- Shelton is averaging 11.7 ppg over BU's last three contests... 8.1 ppg on the year
- Tori Schickel pulled down 15 rebounds against the Musketeers
- Schickel has led BU in rebounding in each game this season, averaging 11.3 rpg
- Taylor Buford stuffed the box score with 11 pts, 4 rebs, 3 steals and 2 blocks vs XU
- Sydney Buck tied her career-high rebound total with seven against Xavier
- Buck ranks 7th all-time at Butler with 150 made 3-point field goals in her career
- Michelle Weaver scored the first 8 points of the game at DePaul (1/13)
- Alexa Bailey is the only player on the team with more assists than turnovers
 
BIG EAST Standings
1) DePaul 12-1, 20-5
2) Creighton 11-2, 17-6
3) Marquette 8-5, 17-7
4) St. John's 8-5, 16-8
5) Villanova 7-5, 12-11
6) Georgetown 6-6, 14-8
7) Seton Hall 4-9, 11-13
8) Xavier 3-9, 11-12
9) Butler 2-10, 5-18
10) Providence 2-11, 10-14

All-Time Series vs. Marquette
Marquette leads Butler 8-7 in the all-time series. The Golden Eagles have won three-straight to take the advantage in head-to-head matchups including a 91-53 victory just one month ago in Milwaukee. MU swept the 2015-16 regular season series by winning 80-64 at Hinkle Fieldhouse and 76-69 at the Al McGuire Center. These two teams split a pair of games in 2014-15. BU won 76-67 at Marquette, but the Golden Eagles got even with a 77-74 double overtime win at Butler. The two teams also split in 2013-14 with each team winning on the road.
 
Butler at Marquette Recap
The first meeting was all Marquette with the Golden Eagles jumping out to a 23-8 lead after the opening 10 minutes. Marquette shot 56 percent from the field and 48 percent (12-25) from 3-point range to pull away from the Bulldogs. Four of Marquette's five starters reached a double figure scoring total with Allazia Blockton leading the way with 20. McKayla Yentz was hot from 3-point land, connecting on five of her six attempts meanwhile Erika Davenport was in the box score with a double-double by recording 14 points and 12 rebounds. Butler was led by Tori Schickel who posted eight points and eight rebounds. Sydney Buck was also an impact player with nine points and six assists.
 
All-Time Series vs. DePaul
Butler is 0-12 all-time against DePaul after taking a 100-69 loss at McGrath-Phillips Arena earlier this season. The Blue Demons won all three matchups a year ago with two victories coming during the regular season and one during the conference tournament in the quarterfinals. The game at Hinkle Fieldhouse last season was the closest result between the two programs as members of the BIG EAST Conference. The Bulldogs only lost by seven points, 61-54. The first-ever meeting during the 1984-85 season was a five-point spread, 61-56.
 
Butler at DePaul Recap
DePaul scored 20+ points in every quarter during the first meeting to claim a 100-69 victory. The high-powered Blue Demon offense got off to a fast start by recording 29 points over the opening 10 minutes. DePaul shot 55 percent from the field and ended the game with 14 made 3-pointers to reach 100 points. Brooke Schulte paced the starting five with 24 points while Amarah Coleman chipped in with 20. Center Jacqui Grant also played well for DePaul with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Bulldogs were led by Michelle Weaver who scored 20 points in 28 minutes of action. Sydney Shelton hit three of Butler's five 3-point field goals that evening to net 13 points. The third Bulldog to reach double figures was Taylor Buford who notched 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
 
Slowing Down Schickel
The Bulldogs will need to have some players step up offensively this weekend when Butler hosts DePaul and Marquette, the top two scoring teams in the BIG EAST. DePaul averages 78 points per game and Marquette ranks first in scoring offense by averaging 80 points per game. Butler heads into the weekend having scored just 43 points at home vs. Xavier, moving their season average to 56.5 ppg. BU's top scoring option this season has been Tori Schickel, but both DePaul and Marquette did a nice job of slowing her down earlier this season. Schickel ended the DePaul game with eight points on 2-of-7 shooting. She followed that game with eight more points at Marquette on 3-of-11 shooting. Those two games featured Schickel's lowest field goal percentages of the season.
 
Buford Fills the Box Score
Taylor Buford broke out of a slump last Saturday against Xavier by recording 11 points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 28 minutes of action. Buford only had 12 points combined over the previous five games from Jan. 15-29. A starter in the last seven contests, Buford jumped into the starting five for the first time this season when BU played at DePaul and Marquette.
 
DI committee reveals latest top 16
With five weeks remaining and numerous key games still to be played before Selection Monday, the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Sport Committee recently provided the second of three regular-season top 16 rankings in seed order. The 16th team on this week's list is none other than the DePaul Blue Demons. Sunday's opponent currently sits on top of the BIG EAST standings with a 12-1 conference record, 20-5 overall.
 
Keys to The Game
Butler will have to defend the 3-point line against each opponent this weekend in order to have a chance at victory. DePaul hit 14 3-pointers in the first meeting and Marquette was close behind with 12 made shots from 3-point land. Defense in general will need to be addressed as Butler allowed 191 points over the weekend the last time they faced these two programs.
 
National Rankings
Tori Schickel ranks fifth in the NCAA in total rebounds (260) and comes in at 8th in the country in rebounds per game (11.3). The BIG EAST rebound leader averages a double-double and therefore ranks 30th in the nation with 10 double-doubles on the year.
 
BIG EAST Rankings
Tori Schickel finds herself ranked in the top-five of multiple BIG EAST statistical categories. Schickel leads the BIG EAST in rebounding (11.3), is 3rd in minutes (34.8), 3rd in steals (1.8), and 5th in field goal percentage (49.8). A closer breakdown shows Schickel leading the league in both offensive rebounds (4.3) and defensive boards (7.0). The sophomore forward also ranks 7th in scoring (14.3) and 9th in blocked shots (1.2).
 
Schickel Eyes Single-Season Rebound Record
Tori Schickel is currently on pace to break the Butler school record for most rebounds recorded in a single-season. Through 23 games, Schickel has pulled down 260 rebounds. Her first 20-rebound game this season came at Xavier (1/8), with her second coming against Villanova. 20 boards in a single-game is the highest total by any player in the BIG EAST Conference during the 2016-17 season. Schickel will chase the BU school record of 302 which was set by Beth Piepenbrink during the 1981-82 season. She is currently tied with Butler assistant coach Julie Shelton for 10th all-time on the single-season top ten list. Shelton (Julie VonDielingen) ended the 1990-91 season with 260 rebounds.
 
Up Next
Butler's last true road trip will include stops in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia to face Georgetown and Villanova. BU will head to the nation's capital on Feb. 17 to play the Hoyas at 7 PM. The weekend will come to a close on Sunday, Feb. 19 with a 1 PM tip vs. the Wildcats.