INDIANAPOLIS – Butler outscored Providence 19-9 over the final 10 minutes of action to record a 51-42 victory over the Friars on Sunday afternoon. The win moves Butler to 19-8 overall and 11-5 in the BIG EAST standings.
 
Kristen Spolyar, Shae Brey, Katherine Strong, Ashanti Thomas and Sarah Humphrey went out on a high-note with Butler winning on Senior Day. All seven Bulldogs that saw playing time today scored at least one field goal. The 'Dawgs were led the scoring column by freshman Oumou Toure. She returned to the court after a three-game absence and sparked a huge 9-0 fourth quarter scoring streak in crunch time.
 
Toure came off the bench to net 15 points. She added five rebounds, four steals, three blocks and an assist to her stat line. Spolyar was second on the team in scoring with 13. The senior added six rebounds and three steals.
 
The Bulldogs enjoyed an 18-12 lead after the first quarter. All seven Butler student-athletes found the scoring column for BU over the opening 10 minutes. Providence hit just one of their first eight shots, allowing Butler to build their lead. The Bulldogs on the other hand shot 54.5 percent in the first.
 
The second quarter was unique with each team going on a 7-0 scoring run. The Bulldogs poured in seven-straight to control the scoreboard 28-17, but the Friars fought back with 7-0 run that made the score 28-24 at the half.
 
The third quarter was a tough stretch for the home team. Butler was limited to just four points, but were able to hold PC to nine points. The Friars opened the third on a 7-2 run to take their first lead of the game at 31-30. A 2-3 zone defense caused some confusion for BU, and the 'Dawgs would trail by one heading into the fourth.
 
The difference in this game came down to the final 10 minutes. Genesis Parker took the lid off the rim for Butler with a big 3-pointer and Toure would get the crowd on their feet with back-to-back steals that led to and-one conversions. That 9-0 Butler scoring run pushed the score to 42-35 and the Bulldogs would never look back.
 
The final two games of the regular season will be played this coming weekend with Butler traveling to St. John's and Seton Hall. Each game will stream on BEDN.