GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | BEDN
 
INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs will host their annual Pink Game this Friday night when they welcome the Xavier Musketeers to Hinkle Fieldhouse. The first 1,000 fans will receive pink foam fingers at the game. All BU faculty and staff members can receive two free tickets to the contest by showing their Butler ID.
 
Bulldog Bits                                                                                                                       
- Tori Schickel became the all-time rebound leader at Butler on Sunday, Feb. 3
- Schickel now has 1,052 rebounds in her Butler career an average of 9.8 per game
- Schickel scored a season-high 23 points in Friday night's overtime win at St. John's
- Whitney Jennings scored a season-high 29 points in the win at St. John's
- Jennings and Schickel combined for 52 points, shooting 48.5 percent from the field
- BU shot over 50% from 3-point range for the first time this season at St. John's (7-13)
- Shae Brey shot 6-for-7 from the field at Seton Hall to score a career-high 12 points
- Naira Caceres tied her career-high rebound total with seven at Seton Hall
- BU made one more field goal than Seton Hall despite losing the game at Walsh Gym
- Kat Strong will miss the remainder of the season due to injury (knee)
 
Scouting Xavier                                                                                               
The Musketeers split a pair of games last weekend to move their overall record to 11-11. Xavier won at Seton Hall 80-76 to sweep the regular season series against the Pirates, but they were defeated by the Red Storm on Sunday 70-41. A'riana Gray is a high-impact player on the Musketeer roster. Gray averages a double-double with 13.5 points and 11.3 rebounds. She is one of only two players to start in all 22 games this year, joining guard Aaliyah Dunham.
 
Butler at Xavier Recap (Jan. 11)                                                                
Trailing 11-10 after the first 10 minutes, Butler limited the host Musketeers to six second-quarter points to move ahead at the half before exploding for a 26-point third quarter to pull away. Whitney Jennings led all scorers with 20 points off 7-of-12 shooting. Katherine Strong joined her in double figures with 18. Xavier was led by A'riana Gray. She finished with 15 points and 21 boards.
 
Owens Out in First Meeting                                                                       
Na'Teshia Owens missed the first game against Butler this year due to injury. The 5-5 guard is the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 12.8 points per game. She leads the team in both assists, and made 3-point field goals.
 
Schickel Lands On BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll                
Tori Schickel became the Bulldogs' all-time rebounding leader this weekend after averaging 18.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in a 1-1 road swing. The senior posted her 11th double-double of the season on Sunday at Seton Hall with 10 boards, bumping her career tally to 1,052 to snap the previous mark of 1,050 set between 1980-84.
 
Whitney's Last Seven Games                                                                    
Whitney Jennings is averaging 17.4 points per game over Butler's last seven games. This stretch started with a 63-41 win at Xavier with Jennings scoring 20 points. The BU point guard erupted with 14 points in the third quarter at the Cintas Center. She helped Butler go on a 14-2 run and win the third quarter 26-16.
 
Shae Steps In                                                                                                    
Shae Brey has started for Butler over the team's last two games, filling in for Katherine Strong. She averaged 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds last week, playing 25 minutes per game. Brey started in 25 games for Butler during the 2017-18 season. She also landed in the BU starting five 10 times as a freshman in 2016-17.
 
Ways to Win                                                                                                                     
Butler is undefeated this season (10-0) when they shoot better than their opponent from 3-point range, when they score more bench points (8-0) and when they hold their opponent under 60 points (14-0).
 
Block Out                                                                                                                           
Only two BIG EAST teams have outrebounded Butler this season (St. John's, Marquette). The 'Dawgs are 14-3 on the season when they outrebound their opponent. BU averages 39.1 boards per game (+7.7 margin). The Musketeers average 35.2 (-6.1 margin). In the first meeting, Butler won the battle on the boards 40-38. A'riana Gray pulled down 21 of the 38 rebounds for Xavier. Every member of the BU starting five had four or more rebounds.
 
Race to 20                                                                                                                          
With a win at St. John's, Butler matched their highest win total since 2012-13 when the program finished 17-14 overall and 8-6 in the A-10 Conference. The 2018-19 team will now try to become the first team to notch 20 wins since the 2010-11 season when BU went 20-14 overall as members of the Horizon League. 17 wins is the highest total under current head coach Kurt Godlevske.
 
Recipe for Success                                                                                                          
Butler leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (56.1), steals (254), steals per game (12.1) and turnovers forced (20.0).
 
Michelle Making Plays                                                                                 
Michelle Weaver has placed her name into the Butler record book in two separate categories this season. The senior leads the team, the BIG EAST and ranks eighth in the NCAA in steals (75) moving her career total to 194. She ranks seventh all-time at Butler in total steals and is just seven steals away from sixth place. Weaver also leads the team in assists with 99. She ranks ninth all-time at BU with 299 career assists. Eighth place is held by Jenny Young who passed out 302 assists in her career from 1980-83. Weaver has the third-best assist to turnover ratio in the BIG EAST.
 
Schickel Sets All-Time Rebound Record at Seton Hall     
Tori Schickel broke the Butler women's basketball all-time rebound record at Seton Hall (Feb. 3) by pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds. The performance moved her career total to 1,052, giving her two more rebounds than Elza Purvlicis (1980-84).
 
Schickel Climbs Scoring List                                                                        
Tori Schickel ranks third all-time on the Butler women's basketball scoring list. 13 points at Seton Hall on Sunday moved her career total to 1,521. Lade Akande ranks second all-time with 1,705 points and topping the list is former BU assistant coach Julie Shelton (VonDielingen) with 2,018 points.
 
Rim Protector                                                                                                   
Tori Schickel ranks fourth all-time at Butler in career blocked shots (158).
 
Up Next                                                                                                                              
Butler will play five of their final seven regular season games at Hinkle Fieldhouse. After hosting the Musketeers, BU will welcome Creighton and Providence to Indianapolis. Creighton will play Butler on Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 PM. Sunday's tip against Providence is set for 2 PM on Feb. 17.