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INDIANAPOLIS – The start of the 2018-19 season will feature Butler hosting Eastern Illinois on Friday, Nov. 9. Tip-off on Facebook Live is slated for 12 PM.
Bulldog Bits
- 2018-19 team captains are
Tori Schickel,
Whitney Jennings and
Michelle Weaver
- That trio combined for 55 of Butler's 75 points last year in the season opener
- Butler is 2-2 in season openers under the guidance of
Kurt Godlevske
-
Whitney Jennings scored 30 pts in her Butler debut last year vs. Austin Peay
- Butler started the 2017-18 season 3-0, marking their best start in 26 years
- The Bulldogs went 8-4 vs. non-conference opponents last year (4-0 at home)
- Schickel has averaged 14.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game over her BU career
- Eastern Illinois beat Oakland City 102-43 to open the 2018-19 season
- Butler defeated Trine 69-31 in exhibition action on Nov. 1
Schickel Named to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Tori Schickel was one of just four players to be a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. In 2017-18, Schickel ranked fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring (16.4) and third in rebounds (9.3). She was highly efficient on the offensive end hitting 53.2 percent of her field goal attempts, the third-best percentage in the league. Schickel also ranked second in the BIG EAST in blocked shots per game (1.5).
The four-year starter will leave campus ranked among the all-time greats at Butler. Her name will appear in the BU career top-ten list in points (1,237), rebounds (856), made field goals (469), field goal attempts (907), field goal percentage (.517), made free throws (299), free throw attempts (423), blocked shots (128) and minutes played (2,833). She currently ranks 12th all-time at Butler in scoring and if she matches her production from her junior season she can rise all the way to second on the all-time scoring list.
Historic Tandem
Tori Schickel and
Whitney Jennings became the first teammates in Butler women's basketball history to record 500 points each in a single-season. Schickel scored 524 points last year and Jennings led the team with 539. They became the seventh and eighth players in school history to total 500+ points in a single-season. Jennings ranks fourth all-time for points scored in an individual season and Schickel ranks sixth. The duo accounted for 51 percent of Butler's scoring during the 2017-18 season.
Tournament Trend
Butler has won a BIG EAST Tournament game in three-straight seasons. The streak started with a 48-47 victory over Xavier in 2016 and the 'Dawgs came back the following year to knock the Musketeers out of the playoff bracket with a 68-66 win. Last year, Butler advanced to the quarterfinals with a 73-67 overtime win vs. Providence. They were eventually eliminated by Marquette 73-61.
Caceres Helps Spain Win Gold in FIBA U20 Tournament
Naira Caceres spent her summer playing for Spain in the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship Tournament. Spain continued to dominate the competition this year by taking the top spot on the podium for the seventh time in the past eight years.
Caceres was an impact player for Spain by averaging 4.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest. She played in all seven games, averaging 19.5 minutes of playing time. Caceres shot 30 percent from the field (14-for-46).
In The Mix
Butler added six newcomers to the 2018-19 roster with three transfers and three true freshmen.
Naira Caceres (Maine),
Katherine Strong (VCU) and
Ashanti Thomas (Penn State) will all be eligible to play this year after taking a redshirt year in 2017-18. Clemson transfer
Jaia Alexander will sit out the 2018-19 season due to the NCAA transfer rule.
Turn The Corner
Butler scored 64.5 points per game last year, marking the highest average under head Coach
Kurt Godlevske. BU also improved defensively, limiting the opposition to just 65.3 points per game, again the best average during the Godlevske era.
Home Sweet Hinkle
Butler has never opened a season with six-straight home games. The closet comparison would date back to the 1977-78 campaign when BU hosted four-straight games at the start of the year. Butler has hosted the season opener at Hinkle Fieldhouse in each of the past three seasons. The only time they started out on the road was in Coach Godlevske's first season when the 'Dawgs played at Valparaiso in 2014-15.
Jennings for 3!
Whitney Jennings hit 80 3-point field goals during the 2017-18 season. She ended the year ranked third all-time at BU for most makes from behind the arc. The only other Bulldog to top 80 3-pointers in a single-season was Jackie Closser. She did it twice (06-07, 05-06).
Recipe For Success
Butler went 10-2 last year when they led at the half. Getting a third wheel involved with
Tori Schickel and
Whitney Jennings was important as BU only won one game with two players in double figures, but notched 14 victories with three-plus players scoring 10 points or more. Rebounding and defense obviously weigh in on any team's success. BU went 14-6 last year when they won the rebound battle and 0-11 when they lost it (1-0 when tied). They were also 12-1 on the year when holding the opponent to 60 points or less.
Build Off Last Year
The Bulldogs found the win column 15 times last year, marking the highest win total under head coach
Kurt Godlevske. Godlevske added three new coaches to the staff a year ago and will return 87 percent of the team's scoring from the 2017-18 season.
West Palm Invite
Butler will play in the West Palm Invitational this year in late December. They will face Ohio State and Eastern Michigan at Keiser University. The Buckeyes are the second Big Ten team to appear on the non-conference schedule joining Indiana. Butler went 1-0 last year against the Big Ten by defeating Wisconsin 69-62 inside Hinkle Fieldhouse (Dec. 8).
Deja Vu
Butler's first BIG EAST road trip last year came against Villanova and Georgetown, a theme that will continue this upcoming season. The 'Dawgs will surely take similar results to last year as they defeated #21 Villanova inside Nevin Field House 76-53 and completed the sweep with a 66-57 win at Georgetown just three days later. Butler's win at #21 Villanova went down as their first victory over a ranked opponent since the 1998-99 season when they knocked off #25 Illinois 81-65.
1,000 x2
Tori Schickel reached 1,000 career points on Jan. 10, 2018 against St. John's. She became just the 22nd player in Butler women's basketball history to reach 1,000. Schickel now heads into her senior season with 1,237 points, the 12th highest total in school history.
The four-year starter will also chase down 1,000 career rebounds this year. Schickel heads into 2018-19 with 856 rebounds, a total that ranks her fourth all-time at Butler. She will attempt to become just the third player in school history to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her BU career, joining Elza Purvlicis (1980-84) and Beth Piepenbrink (1980-83).
Up Next
Butler will host Murray State on Tuesday night, Nov. 12. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM.
