INDIANAPOLIS – The Marquette Golden Eagles (16-3) recorded an 87-58 win at Butler on Sunday afternoon to remain undefeated in conference play. With the loss, Butler moves to 16-4 on the season. The 'Dawgs are 6-3 against conference foes at the midway point of the BIG EAST schedule.
 
Natisha Hiedeman led all players with 21 points. The senior guard hit five 3-point field goals before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Hiedeman was one of three Golden Eagles to reach a double figure scoring total. Allazia Blockton came off the bench to score 16 and Amani Wilborn would go 9-for-11 from the free throw line to net 13 points.
 
Kristen Spolyar would lead Butler in the scoring column with 13 points. Freshman Emilia Sexton came off the bench to score 11 points in just seven minutes of playing time. Sexton hit three of her five 3-point attempts to match her career-high.
 
The third quarter was the deciding factor in the outcome with Marquette winning the frame 30-13. The Golden Eagles scored the first 12 points of the third and would push that scoring run to 20-1 before Butler's first field goal. The scoring spree gave Marquette a 66-44 lead with 10 minutes to play.
 
The first half was much closer than the second even with Marquette opening the game on a 10-2 scoring run. Erika Davenport got inside to score early for the Golden Eagles and the Bulldogs were ice cold offensively, hitting just two of their first 12 shots.
 
The first made 3-pointer of the game belonged to Whitney Jennings as the senior got Butler back within five at 14-9. BU would make each of their last four field goal attempts to get within one possession after the first quarter 16-13.
 
BU went to a 2-3 zone at the start of the second quarter. The new look defensively threw Marquette off balance for a few possessions, but Hiedeman would eventually dial in and hit back-to-back 3-pointers to keep the lead intact. Spolyar would match Hiedeman with a pair of 3-pointers of her own getting the Bulldogs back within one-point at 24-23, but the hot shooting continued as Blockton entered the game and hit from behind the arc.
 
The Bulldogs would end the second quarter on a 7-2 scoring run. Tori Schickel was able to knot the score at 29-29 with 2:47 left. BU hit six-straight shots at the end of the second, but would never take the lead.
 
Any chance of an upset would be eliminated after the third quarter. Marquette also won the fourth frame 21-14.
 
Butler will be on the road next weekend to play at St. John's on Friday, Feb. 1. The weekend ends with a 1 PM contest at Seton Hall on Sunday.