GAME NOTES
 
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INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs will wrap up the 2017-18 regular season this weekend with a game at Xavier. A win would move Butler to .500 on the year with a 15-15 overall record. The two teams will take the court inside the Cintas Center on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM.
 
Bulldog Bits
- Butler has won six road games this season compared to just one a year ago
- Whitney Jennings is just two points shy of 500 for the season
- Jennings leads the team and ranks third in the BIG EAST with a 17.2 scoring avg
- The last Bulldog to average 17+ ppg in a single-season was Sarah Schuetz (1997-98)
- Jennings and Schickel account for 52 percent of Butler's scoring this season
- Tori Schickel scored 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds at Creighton
- Kaela Hodges scored six-straight points to start the 4th quarter at Creighton
- Shae Brey has scored six points in three-straight games
- Butler has won eight of the last 11 meetings vs. Xavier
- BU has eliminated Xavier from the BIG EAST Tournament the last two years
- Sunday is Senior Day for Xavier; They have two seniors on the roster
 
Scouting Xavier (9-19, 2-15 BIG EAST)
The Musketeers have 11 players averaging 10 minutes of playing time or more. No player on the roster averages double figures in scoring, but Jada Byrd is close at 9.6 points per game. Imani Partlow is another scoring threat for the Musketeers. The 6-1 power forward averages nine points and 5.5 rebounds per game. As a team, Xavier only averages 59.3 points per game which is great news for Bulldog fans as Butler heads into the weekend 12-0 when allowing less than 60 points.
 
Xavier Beats Butler in BIG EAST Opener (Dec. 29, 2017)
Xavier jumped out to a 19-7 lead after the first quarter in the first meeting, but the Bulldogs would win the second quarter 27-17 to get within two at the half. Third quarter action favored the Musketeers 22-10 and Xavier would hold off a late BU charge to win 69-62. Whitney Jennings led all players with 25 points. Kindell Fincher was the leading scorer for Xavier with 20.
 
All-Time Series vs. Xavier
Butler leads the all-time series against Xavier 24-18. The Musketeers won earlier this season, but the two teams would split the regular season series in 2016-17. Butler would also add a win against Xavier in the BIG EAST Tournament 68-66.
 
Tournament Talk
The 2018 BIG EAST Tournament will take place in Chicago this year at Wintrust Arena. DePaul, Marquette, Creighton, and Villanova are guaranteed to finish in the top five of the conference standings which gives them a first-round bye. Providence and Xavier are also guaranteed to play in the first round. If the regular season ended today, Butler would play as the No. 8 seed against the No. 9 seed Providence Friars. That contest would be game one of the tournament. It would take place on Saturday, March 3 at 4 PM. The first round will also include No. 10 Xavier playing the No. 7 seed Seton Hall Pirates. First round action will stream live on BEDN. The winner of the 8/9 game will face the No. 1 overall seed which is currently DePaul. The 7/10 winner would face Marquette who currently represents the No. 2 seed.
 
Schickel Named to BIG EAST Honor Roll
In a 1-1 weekend for the Bulldogs, Schickel averaged 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists, including game highs of 20 points and eight rebounds at Creighton Sunday.
 
Bulldogs Eye .500 Overall Record
A win on Sunday at Xavier would move Butler's overall record to 15-15. 15 wins would be the highest total ever under the guidance of Head Coach Kurt Godlevske. The Bulldogs have not finished a season over .500 since 2012-13 when they were in the A-10 Conference.
 
Repeat Performance
The last time Butler played on February 25 they hosted the Xavier Musketeers at Hinkle Fieldhouse and posted a 57-52 victory.
 
Cintas Center
The last game played at the Cintas Center between Butler and Xavier went into overtime. Tori Schickel went off for 20 points and 20 rebounds to lead Butler to victory. Kristen Spolyar tore her ACL less than a minute into the game.
 
Jennings Shoots Up Scoring List
Whitney Jennings is on pace to become just the seventh player in program history to score 500 points in a single-season. She heads into the final game of the regular season with 498 points, a total that ranks her seventh all-time at BU. In order to move up to sixth, Jennings will need 11 points to pass Daress McClung (12-13). Jennings currently averages 17.2 points per game, the highest average on the team and the third-best average in the BIG EAST. If the season were to end today she would rank seventh all-time for the highest scoring average in a single-season.
 
Jennings For 3!
Whitney Jennings hit two 3-point field goals at Creighton, moving her season total to 78. Jennings is now just eight 3-point field goals away from setting a new school record. Jackie Closser hit 85 3-point field goals during the 2006-07 season to break a school record that she set the previous season in 2005-06 when she hit 84.
 
Whit Hits From the Stripe
Whitney Jennings leads the team and ranks second in the conference with an 86.7 free throw percentage (78-90). She is currently tied for sixth at BU for highest free throw percentage in a single-season.
 
1,000 Career Point Club
Junior Tori Schickel reached 1,000 career points on Jan. 10 against St. John's. She became just the 22nd player in Butler women's basketball history to reach 1,000. The standout center will now try to climb up the all-time scoring list at BU. She heads into Sunday with 1,194 points, the 14th highest total in school history. Debbie Benzinger (94-98) is next on the list with 1,214 points. Liz Skinner ranks 12th all-time with 1,224 points (1978-82).
 
All-Time Great
Tori Schickel has 832 rebounds in her career, a total that ranks her fourth all-time at Butler. 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). Schickel currently has 275 rebounds on the season, a total that ranks her seventh for most rebounds recorded in a single-season. She set the BU school record last year with 364, and is just three shy of moving into sixth place (IJ Uchendu 14-15) and sixth away from fifth place (Daress McClung 12-13).
 
Protect The Rim
Tori Schickel ranks 8th all-time in career blocks. She leads the team with 40 blocks on the year, moving her career total to 120. Schickel is now just six blocks shy of tying Melanie Thornton (06-10) for seventh place all-time.
 
Double-Double
Tori Schickel has 10 double-doubles this year, moving her career total to 31. Her most recent double-double came vs. Marquette with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Up Next
Butler will compete in the 2018 BIG EAST Championship Tournament. Full details will be available after the regular season.