Game Notes
 
INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs will play two road games this weekend with stops in Providence and Omaha. The first game features a 7PM tip at Alumni Hall against the Friars. Sunday's tilt at DJ Sokol Arena vs. the Bluejays will start at 1PM.
 
Bulldog Talk
- Oumou Toure posted her third double-double of the season with a career-high 17 points and 12 rebounds vs. DePaul.
- Naira Caceres logged a season-high 28 minutes of playing time vs. DePaul. Her career-high came last year vs. Providence (30).
- Kristen Spolyar scored 23 of Butler's first 25 points against Marquette.
- Spolyar ranks third in the BIG EAST and 28th in the NCAA with a 19.2 scoring average.
- Spolyar has scored in double figures in 17 of Butler's 18 games this season.
- Spolyar leads the BIG EAST and ranks fourth in the NCAA in made free throws (103).
- Butler is 4-4 vs. opponents in the top 100 of the RPI. (Butler #115, Providence #110, Creighton #22).
- Butler ranks 9th in the NCAA in free throws made (268).
- BU ranks 32nd in the NCAA in steals per game (10.7).
- Butler has yet to lose a BIG EAST road game this year (3-0).
- The last three meetings between Providence and Butler have gone into overtime.
- Katherine Strong scored a career-high 23 points in just 21 minutes at Creighton last year.
 
Scouting Providence                                                                             
The Friars are still searching for their first conference win of the season (0-7). Fourth-year head coach Jim Crowley has a star in the front court at Providence. Mary Baskerville leads the team with a 13.8 scoring average. She leads the BIG EAST in blocks per game (1.8), ranks second in field goal percentage (55.8) and comes in at third in rebounds (8.1). As a team, the Friars are built much like Butler in that they rely heavily on their defense. PC ranks third in the conference in scoring defense (61.3), allowing just two more points than Butler (59.6).
 
All-Time Series                                                                                       
Butler is on top in the all-time series 9-4, but the Friars swept the Bulldogs in 2018-19. The first meeting in Providence went into three overtimes before the Friars could land a 74-68 victory. PC handed Butler just their second loss of the season on Jan. 18. The second game on Feb. 17 also ended in a tie at the end of regulation. The Friars would win that one 66-63 in single overtime. Butler won all three match ups the year prior, including a 73-67 overtime win in the conference tournament. 
 
Scouting Creighton                                                                                
Butler and Creighton are deadlocked in the conference standings with 4-3 BIG EAST records. A closer look will show each team with identical overall records at 12-6. The play maker in the Bluejay huddle is senior Jaylyn Agnew. She missed the last game with an illness, but should be fine by Sunday when BU takes the court at DJ Sokol Arena. Agnew averages 19.8 points per game, ranking second in the BIG EAST.  Agnew is the top 3-point shooter (51), and free throw shooter (93.0) in the BIG EAST. She and Temi Carda rarely leave the floor to rank first and third in the league in minutes played.
 
All-Time Series                                                                                       
Creighton took a 9-6 advantage in the all-time series last year with a 60-51 win over Butler in the conference tournament. The 'Dawgs swept the regular season series with a 75-43 win at Creighton and a 66-46 win at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
Spolyar Named BIG EAST Player of the Week                                 
Kristen Spolyar finished last week as the BIG EAST's No. 1 scorer and No. 2 rebounder, averaging 27.5 points and 10.5 rebounds against No. 14/15 DePaul and Marquette. Spolyar reached the 30-point mark for the second time this season with a game-high 30 points along with nine rebounds in Friday's win over the Golden Eagles, before scoring a game-high 25 points while matching the game high with 12 rebounds in Sunday's setback to the nationally ranked Blue Demons. For the week she shot .594 from the field and .444 from deep.
 
Spolyar Shoots Up All-Time Scoring List at BU                                
Kristen Spolyar ranks 10th on the Butler all-time scoring list (1,346). She is now 30 points shy of ninth place (Sue Morris, 81-85). Spolyar's top scoring performance this season came against Detroit Mercy when she tied the BU single-game point's record with 37.
 
Senior Leadership                                                                                                
Shae Brey, Katherine Strong and Kristen Spolyar accounted for 15 of Butler's 19 points in the fourth quarter against Marquette. BU trailed by three heading into the final 10 minutes, but would win by six. That senior trio accounts for 47 percent of Butler's scoring in 19-20.
 
60 Points                                                                                                                
The Bulldogs are 9-0 this year when holding the opposition below 60 points. Providence averages 63 points per game, Creighton is slightly higher at 65. Butler's last true road loss came on Nov. 23 at Ball State (74-70).
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
Butler will host Xavier on Friday, Jan 31. The game is scheduled to start at 7 PM.