GAME NOTES
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Part two of the BIG EAST Conference season will get underway Friday night when Butler hosts Xavier at 7 PM. The Bulldogs are currently tied for second place in the BIG EAST standings with a 6-3 record. They defeated Xavier earlier this year at the Cintas Center 78-70.
 
Bulldog Talk
- Butler swept the Providence, Creighton road trip for the first time since the BIG EAST went to travel partners (2014-15).
- BU leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (59.4).
- Butler ranks 17th in the NCAA in steals per game (11.1). 10+ steals in three-straight games.
- BU forced 43 turnovers last weekend in games at Providence (26) and Creighton (17).
- Butler ranks seventh in the NCAA in free throws made (309). They have made 10+ free throws in 20 of 21 games.
- Oumou Toure led Butler in scoring for the first time in her career at Providence (14).
- Toure (3) and Caceres (4) each set a new career-highs in made 3-point field goals over the weekend.
- Caceres went 1-for-9 from 3-point range in conference action over the first eight games. She snapped that streak by going 4-for-4 at Creighton.
- Butler bench outscored Creighton's bench 26-2.
- Spolyar ranks third in the BIG EAST and 30th in the NCAA with an 18.9 scoring average.
- Spolyar leads the BIG EAST and ranks fourth in the NCAA in made free throws (113).
- Spolyar accounts for 30% of Butler's scoring.
 
Scouting Xavier                                                                                      
The Musketeers are 2-18 overall with wins over Utah and Georgetown. Preseason All-BIG EAST selection A'riana Gray is a quality player that averages 16.4 points and 9.5 rebounds. Gray scored 28 points and pulled down 13 boards in 36 minutes of action in the first meeting. Her performance along with 10 made 3-point field goals from the Musketeers kept the first contest close (78-70).
 
All-Time Series                                                                                       
Butler leads the all-time series over Xavier 27-19. Head Coach Kurt Godlevske is 8-5 all-time vs. the Musketeers with two of those eight wins coming in the BIG EAST Conference Tournament. The first-ever meeting between the two programs was played in the 1982-83 season with BU coming out on top 71-64. Butler swept the regular season series in 2018-19, but the Musketeers won each game during the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Butler at Xavier (Jan. 4)                                                                        
Butler Bulldogs recorded a 78-70 win at Xavier in the first meeting. Naira Caceres had the best day of her Butler career with 23 points, seven rebounds and a team-best four steals. Caceres and Kristen Spolyar each scored 23 points to pace the offense. Four Bulldogs ended the contest in double figures as Katherine Strong chipped in with 11 and Oumou Toure was right behind with 10. Toure just missed a double-double by pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Halfway Point                                                                                        
Butler is part of a three-way tie for second place in the BIG EAST standings at the halfway point of the conference season. DePaul leads the way at 9-0, but the Bulldogs, Marquette and St. John's are all close behind with 6-3 records against BIG EAST foes.
 
Caceres Comes Up Clutch                                                                                   
Butler got a lift from Naira Caceres in the fourth quarter of each contest last week. In the game at Providence, Caceres played a season-high 33 minutes and would give BU a three-point advantage with field goal in the final minute of regulation. Two days later, Caceres went 4-for-4 from 3-point range to score 14 points. She and Spolyar were responsible for all 16 Butler points in the fourth quarter.
 
Road Sweep                                                                                                          
Butler didn't lose a conference road game over the first half of the BIG EAST season (5-0). Their last true road loss came on Nov. 23 at Ball State (74-70).
 
RPI Top 100                                                                                                           
Butler moved up to 90 in the latest RPI Poll. All six BU losses this season have come against opponents in the Top 100 of the RPI. Butler also has five victories over teams ranked in the Top 100.
 
Spolyar Lands on BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll                               
Kristen Spolyar averaged 16.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 apg in 2-0 road swing at Providence and Creighton, including a game-high 25 points in Sunday's win against the Bluejays.
 
Spolyar Shoots Up All-Time Scoring List at BU                                
Kristen Spolyar ranks ninth on the Butler all-time scoring list (1,375). She is now four points shy of eighth (Beth Piepenbrink, 79-83). Spolyar's top scoring performance this season came against Detroit Mercy when she tied the BU single-game point's record with 37.
 
Up Next                                                                                     
Butler will host Georgetown on Friday, Feb. 7. The weekend will come to a close on Sunday with a 3 PM tip vs. Villanova.