GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | WATCH
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Akron will face-off in women's basketball for just the third time on Saturday when the Zips host the Bulldogs at James Rhodes Arena. Fans can watch the game live at 2 PM on ESPN+.
 
Bulldog Bits                                                                                                                       
- Tori Schickel recorded her fifth double-double of the season at Indiana (13-13)
- Schickel moved to 10th place all-time on the BU women's basketball scoring list
- Whitney Jennings tied her season-high total with five steals at Indiana
- Jennings came up with a four-point play at IU, midway through the second quarter
- Ashanti Thomas jumped into the starting lineup for the first time at Butler vs. IU
- Butler has recorded 12+ steals in every game this season (16 at IU)
- BU went on an 8-0 scoring run during the second quarter at IU, but never led
- Butler didn't hit a 3-point field goal in the second half, finished 2-for-21 from deep
- Akron graduate assistant Nicole Orr played at Butler during the 2015-16 season
 
Scouting Akron                                                                                                
The Zips are 5-1 overall after defeating St. Bonaventure on Wednesday night by the final score of 67-58. Shayna Harmon and Megan Sefcik led Akron to victory by scoring 21 and 20 points respectively. The duo helped Akron outscore St. Bonaventure 27-17 in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Sefcik is averaging 19.3 points per game over the opening six games of the season. She shoots 50 percent from the field and is the top 3-point shooter on the team (23-53 / 43.4). First year head coach Melissa Jackson has turned the program around in 2018. The Zips only won nine games a year ago. Sefcik averaged 12 points per game and Harmon only averaged four.
 
Keys To the Game                                                                                                          
Butler will need to slow down Megan Sefcik in order to earn their first road win of the season. At IU on Wednesday, the Bulldogs limited Ali Patberg to just four made field goals and forced the 5-11 guard into making seven turnovers. Finding a third wheel on offense will also be important for the Bulldogs. Wednesday night was the first time this season where only two BU student-athletes scored in double figures.
 
A Look Around The BIG EAST                                                                     
BIG EAST action is just three weeks away and nine of the 10 teams in the conference currently have a winning record. Marquette and DePaul headline the group and are both nationally-ranked. With a 6-1 record the Golden Eagles are #18 in the AP Poll and DePaul is close behind at #20. As a conference, the BIG EAST ranks fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (33.5) and sixth in scoring average (71.0).
 
Double Up                                                                                                                         
Tori Schickel leads the BIG EAST Conference and ranks 16th in the NCAA with five double-doubles. The national lead is a four-way tie at seven double-doubles.
 
Turnover Tracker                                                                                                            
Butler leads the BIG EAST and ranks 11th in the nation in scoring defense (51.1). They force 24.1 turnovers per game, the second-best mark in the BIG EAST and 12th-best average in the NCAA.
 
I'll Take That                                                                                                                     
The Bulldogs rank third in the NCAA in steals per game (16.0) and seventh in total steals (112). They lead the BIG EAST in each category.
 
Hit The Boards                                                                                                 
Butler leads the BIG EAST Conference in rebound margin (+9.7). They gave grabbed 34 or more rebounds in every game this season. Tori Schickel ranks second in the BIG EAST in rebounds per game (9.9).
 
Weaver Impacting Wins                                                                                              
Michelle Weaver ranks second in the BIG EAST and ninth in the NCAA in steals per game (3.8). The senior guard also ranks seventh in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.8).
 
Flip The Script                                                                                                  
Butler opened the season with six-straight home games, but will play five of their next six games away from Hinkle Fieldhouse. The rest of the month features a home tilt vs. Indiana State, two tournament games in West Palm Beach and the start of BIG EAST action.
 
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 10th on the all-time scoring list with 1,330 career points. She is 13 points away from ninth place on the list which is currently held by Jackie Closser (1,343, '03-'07).
 
Schickel Goes After Rebound Record                                                     
Tori Schickel has 925 career rebounds, a total that ranks her fourth all-time at Butler. She is 14 rebounds away from third-place all-time. Schickel 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's final home game during the month of December will be played against Indiana State on Monday, Dec. 17. Tip-off is slated for 7 PM. The final two non-conference games of the season will follow in West Palm Beach, Fla. against Ohio State and Eastern Michigan.