NEW YORK –The Bulldogs recorded their 17th win of the season on the road at St. John's by defeating the Red Storm in overtime 73-68. Tori Schickel and Whitney Jennings combined for 52 points including six of the eight points in the overtime period.
 
Jennings scored a season-high 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting. Five of her nine makes came from 3-point land and six additional points would come from the free throw line. The redshirt senior nearly ended the game in regulation with a made shot from the right elbow with just three seconds to play in regulation. The Johnnies would execute out of a timeout however and score at the buzzer sending the game into overtime.
 
Michelle Weaver would score the first two points of overtime for Butler and Schickel would be responsible for the next four. Her post move score with 26.6 left gave Butler a 71-68 lead. BU got a stop and advanced the ball with 20.2 left. Jennings would take control and seal the victory with two free throws.
 
Schickel also set a new season-high scoring total at St. John's with 23 points. She nearly posted a double-double by adding nine rebounds. He senior is now just nine rebounds shy of setting the all-time rebound record at Butler.
 
Butler crushed St. John's on the glass 41-28. Five different Bulldogs pulled down at least four rebounds in the win.
 
St. John's led for a majority of the game and would knock down 10 3-point field goals on the night to keep their advantage. The Red Storm entered the contest ranked last in the BIG EAST in 3-point shooting, averaging just five makes per game. Qadashah Hoppie was responsible for five herself against Butler, going 5-of-10 from long range. Hoppie led St. John's with 24 points.
 
Hoppie and the Red Storm would open Friday night's game on a 6-0 scoring run, but the Bulldogs would get down to business and take their first lead of the night moments later at 10-9.
 
Alisha Kebbe had the hot hand early and would score five of the first seven points for STJ. She ended the first half with a team-high 10 points, but would be limited to just three points over the final 20 minutes.
 
St. John's didn't hit a single 3-pointer in the first quarter, yet they would lead after one 19-14. Their first three makes of the second quarter would all come from behind the arc, but the Bulldogs would go on to win the frame 18-13.
 
Jennings went scoreless over the first 10 minutes of the game, but got rolling in the second quarter to score eight-straight for BU. Schickel and Naira Caceres were the only other Bulldogs to score in the quarter.
 
The two evenly matched teams would head to the locker room at the half tied up at 32-32. Jennings would hit another three for Butler in the opening stages of the third, but St. John's would take a five-point lead after going on an 8-0 scoring run. The Johnnies were winning the third 13-6 before a Butler timeout would stop the momentum. Hoppie had eight of the 13 at the stoppage.
 
Adjustments were made by the coaching staff and Butler would end the third on an 8-2 scoring run to get back within three points at 51-48.
 
The slim St. John's lead would stand until the final media timeout of the fourth quarter. The Red Storm held onto a 60-56 lead with 4:43 to play, but another big 3-pointer from Jennings would cut the deficit to just one with three minutes to play (60-59).
 
Roughly one minute later, Schickel would return to the paint, collect the ball and give Butler a one-point lead with a layup that marked a 7-0 BU scoring run.
 
The run would move to 9-0 after a pair of free throws from Jennings, but St. John's would hang tough on their home floor and hit a game-tying 3-pointer with nine seconds left in the fourth. Butler quickly called for a timeout and advanced the ball to half court.
 
BU would place the ball on the opposite sideline from their bench and let Jennings take it out. She passed the ball into Schickel who quickly got it back to Jennings with the clock running low. Jennings would drive to the opposite elbow and hit with just three seconds left to give Butler the two-point lead.
 
The game was too good to end there as St. John's drew up a play with just three ticks left and found Curteeona Brelove in front of the basket for two to send the game into overtime.
 
The Bulldogs held their composure and won in single overtime for the first time since March 3, 2018 when they advanced in the BIG EAST Tournament with a win over Providence. The victory moved Butler to 17-4 overall and 7-3 in the BIG EAST Conference.
 
Butler will return to action on Super Bowl Sunday with a 1PM tip at Seton Hall.