GAME NOTES
 
VILLANOVA, Pa. – BIG EAST action will get underway this weekend with Butler playing at Villanova on FS2. Two of the top teams in the BIG EAST standings will go head-to-head on Saturday night at 8 PM. BU will end 2018 with a game at Georgetown on Monday, Dec. 31. Tip is set for 1 PM on BEDN.
 
2018-19 BIG EAST STANDINGS
Butler 10-1         
Xavier 9-2           
Villanova 8-2     
#19 DePaul 9-3 
#22 Marquette 9-3         
Seton Hall 8-3   
Providence 8-4 
St. John's 7-4     
Creighton 6-5    
Georgetown 6-5
 
Bulldog Bits                                                                                                                       
- Michelle Weaver was tabbed BIG EAST Player of the Week on Dec. 23
- Weaver tied her career-high point total with 25 in the win over Ohio State
- 17 of Weaver's team-high 25 points came in the first half
- Whitney Jennings scored 20 points and pulled down five rebounds vs. the Buckeyes
- Butler outscored Ohio State 18-7 in the first quarter and 16-9 in the fourth
- BU jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the win over Eastern Michigan
- The Bulldogs won the points in the paint battle vs. EMU 46-14
- Butler leads the conference and ranks 33rd in the NCAA in rebound margin (+8.5)
- BU leads the BIG EAST and ranks 7th in the NCAA in scoring defense (51.8 ppg)
- The BIG EAST is the third-ranked conference in the latest NCAA RPI
- BIG EAST teams combined for an 80-32 record during the non-conference schedule      
 
Scouting Villanova                                                                                         
The Wildcats posted an 8-2 record during their non-conference schedule and are coming off a signature win vs. Georgia 62-56. The offense runs through Kelly Jekot and her 14.0 point scoring average. Mary Gedaka and Adrianna Hahn rank second and third on the team in points per game. Gedaka is an inside threat shooting 67 percent from the field over the first 10 games to net 13.4 points per game. Hahn is a talented guard that also leads the club in assists. The fourth member of the starting five unit to impact games is Jannah Tucker. She joins Jekot and Hahn as members of the team to have 20+ makes from behind the arc. That trio is responsible for 72 of Villanova's 98 made 3-pointers this season.
 
Keys To the Game                                                                                                          
The Wildcats are a catch and shoot team that average 10 made 3-point field goals per game, shooting 33 percent from distance. Butler heads into the matchup ranked first in the conference in scoring defense (51.8) and fifth in 3-point field goal defense (29 percent).
 
Last Year vs. Villanova                                                                                 
Butler won at Villanova last year when they were ranked No. 21. Tori Schickel led the Bulldogs with 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting. The outcome marked Butler's first win over a ranked opponent since 1998. Butler shot 52 percent from the field and crushed the 'Cats on the boards 43-19. In the rematch, Villanova pulled out a 69-67 win at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The first quarter helped decide the outcome with Villanova winning the frame 17-9. Whitney Jennings scored 29 points in the setback.
 
Scouting Georgetown                                                                                  
The Hoyas have a talented trio of players in Dionna White, Mikayla Venson and Dorothy Adomako. Those players are responsible for nearly 65 percent of Georgetown's points in 2018. White leads the club in points, rebounds and steals. She rarely comes off the court, averaging 35 minutes of playing time per contest. The Hoyas opened up the year winning four of their first five, but have managed just two wins since Nov. 23.
 
Keys To the Game                                                                                                          
Butler is 8-0 this year when three players score 10 or more points. Schickel and Jennings each found success against the Hoyas a year ago, but the Bulldogs will need one more player to step up in order to match the Hoyas big three. Weaver played great last week and is averaging 10 points per game. Spolyar is another option with her 12.6 scoring average.
 
Last Year vs. Georgetown                                                                                           
Butler won at Georgetown last year 66-57. Tori Schickel and Whitney Jennings combined for 54 points and the Bulldogs limited the Hoyas to just five made field goals over the final 20 minutes of action. The rematch went to the visitors as Georgetown came away with a 63-52 win. Georgetown outscored Butler 20-10 in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
 
Weaver Tabbed Player of the Week                                                      
Weaver led the Bulldogs to a 3-0 record last week, averaging 16.3 point, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.7 steals. After Butler defeated Indiana State on Monday at home, it traveled to the West Palm Beach where Weaver bumped her averages up to 20.0 points and 4.5 rebounds. Her week was highlighted by a career-best 25 points off 9-of-13 shooting as the Bulldogs knocked off Ohio State on Thursday. She added 15 points, six boards, three assists and three steals in Friday's win over Eastern Michigan.
 
I'll Take That                                                                                                                     
The Bulldogs rank fifth in the NCAA in steals per game (13.4) and eighth in total steals (147). They lead the BIG EAST in each category. A year ago, Butler only averaged 8.1 steals per game.
 
Weaver Impacting Wins                                                                                              
Michelle Weaver leads the BIG EAST and ranks 11th in the NCAA in steals per game (3.6). Weaver has recorded 2+ steals in every game this season.
 
Streaks                                                                                                                
Tori Schickel has blocked a shot in eight-straight games. Whitney Jennings has hit a 3-pointer in 10-straight games.
 
RPI Update                                                                                                                        
Butler jumped up to No. 31 in the latest women's basketball RPI poll. The BIG EAST Conference is well represented with Marquette at No. 17, Villanova at No. 29, and DePaul at No. 42. St. John's and Xavier are also listed in the top 100.
 
Turn The Corner                                                                                                              
Butler has not reached 10 wins before the month of January since 2007-08.
 
Double Up
Tori Schickel leads the BIG EAST Conference and ranks 21st in the NCAA with six double-doubles. The national lead is a three-way tie at 10 double-doubles.
 
Schickel Climbs Scoring List                                                                        
Tori Schickel reached 1,000 career points on Jan. 10, 2018 against St. John's to become just the 22nd player in Butler women's basketball history to reach 1,000. Schickel now ranks ninth on the all-time scoring list with 1,372 career points. She is 3 points away from eighth place on the list which is currently held by Sue Morris (1,375, '81-'85) and six points away from seventh place all-time (Beth Piepenbrink / 1,378, 1979-83).
 
Schickel Goes After Rebound Record                                                     
Tori Schickel has 959 rebounds in her Bulldog career, a total that ranks her third all-time. She is now 54 rebounds away from second-place and 41 away from 1,000. Schickel will 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). She is the second-best rebounder in the league this season, averaging 9.4 rebounds per game.
 
Rim Protector                                                                                                   
Tori Schickel ranks fourth all-time at Butler in career blocked shots. She blocked a career-high seven shots in Butler's win over Indiana State and heads into the BIG EAST portion of the schedule with 147 in her four-year career.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                              
Butler's first game in 2019 will be played at home against Seton Hall on January 4th. The weekend will come to a close with a showdown vs. St. John's on January 6. The game between the Bulldogs and the Red Storm will air live on FS2 at 1 PM.