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INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will host Villanova Sunday, Jan. 31 at noon. This contest marks the third-straight home game for the Bulldogs. After Sunday, the team will be on the road until Feb. 13. Tickets are available for Sunday at ButlerSports.com/BuyTickets.
 
Bulldog Bits
- Jaia Alexander scored a career-high 22 points vs. Marquette on Jan. 24.
- Okako Adika is the only other Bulldog to top 20 points this year (29 points vs. Providence).
- Alexander has led the team in rebounds in seven-straight games.
- Parker and Adika combined avg. 27.5 points per game, more than half of Butler's average of 53.8.
- Emilia Sexton logged a season-high 25 minutes of action vs. Marquette. She hit two 3-pointers.
- Rosemarie Dumont did not play against Marquette. There is no timetable for her return.
 
Scouting Villanova                                                                                 
The Wildcats have only lost to UConn, DePaul, and Marquette this year to post a 9-3 overall record. They average 72 points per game and are led by standout sophomore Maddy Siegrist. Last year's BIG EAST Freshman of the Year is averaging 23.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this season, leading the conference in each category. Brianna Herlihy and Raven James are also impact players for first-year head coach Denise Dillon. Herlihy ranks second in the BIG EAST with an 8.0 rebound average and 11th in scoring (15.2).James ranks sixth in assists (4.2) and second in assist to turnover ratio (2.9).
 
All-Time Series vs. Villanova                                                               
The all-time series favors Villanova 9-6, but the Bulldogs have won the last four meetings. In 2018, Butler posted a signature win at #21 Villanova 76-53. The two teams have also played in three overtime games during conference play. BU is 1-2 vs. Nova in OT.
 
Last Meeting vs. Villanova                                                                   
Butler won a wild game at Hinkle Fieldhouse on FS2 last year 63-61. The 'Dawgs took a slim two-point lead with 1:20 left in regulation and would rely on their defense to keep Nova off the scoreboard. Free throws down the stretch would ice the win for the home team.
 
Behind The Arc                                                                                       
Butler and Villanova each make seven 3-pointers per game on average. Okako Adika and Genesis Parker are the top 3-point shooters on the team for Butler while Maddy Siegrist and Lior Garzon hold the title for Nova. Adika is shooting 46% from long range, the highest percentage of any player on either team. Her 22 makes are also the most on either side.
 
Back in the Saddle                                                                                               
Butler was limited to just four games during the month of December, but will finish January with nine contests in the books. That is par for the course as BU played eight games in January last year. The schedule will be challenging moving forward with only three home games remaining.
 
Last Game                                                                                                              
Butler and Marquette played on FS1 Sunday, Jan. 24 with the Golden Eagles coming out on top 95-57. Jaia Alexander was the player of the game for Butler with a career-high 22 points that went along with five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Genesis Parker scored 10 points and both Tenley Dowell and Micah Scheetz would contribute with seven.
 
Hej!                                                                                                                        
Okako Adika and Sarah Mortensen are both from Denmark. Adika is originally from Holstebro and Mortensen is from Copenhagen. Each student-athlete transferred to their respective team. Adika spent two seasons at Odessa and Mortensen played at Miami.
 
Heating Up                                                                                                            
Butler's top two shooting performances of the season have come over their last two games. They shot 41 percent against both DePaul and Marquette inside Hinkle Fieldhouse. It was only the second and third time for BU to hit 40% of their attempts in a game this season. The first time was against Seton Hall on Jan. 11.
 
BIG EAST Rankings                                                                                               
Jaia Alexander heads into the weekend as fifth-best rebounder in the BIG EAST. The senior is averaging 7.4 rebounds per game and grabbed five her last time out vs. Marquette. Okako Adika also ranks fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (46%) and made 3-point field goals (22). She comes in at 15th in field goal percentage (48%) and 16th in scoring (13.6).
 
Bounce Back                                                                                                         
Okako Adika has always responded well after a low scoring game. She scored four points vs. Creighton on Dec. 6, but then notched 17 points the next game at #19 Michigan. Sunday's game vs. Marquette was just the third game this season where the junior has not reached 10+ points. At Butler, she has never been held under 10 points in back-to-back games.
 
8 Games in 18 Days                                                                                             
Butler played eight games in just 18 days from Jan. 7 to Jan. 24. That's the most amount of games in the least amount of days since Butler joined the BIG EAST Conference. In 2017-18 they played eight games in 20 days.
 
More Minutes, More Buckets                                                             
Emilia Sexton played 24 minutes vs. Marquette and ended the contest with six points. She has logged 19+ minutes of action four times this season. In three of those four games, Sexton has scored six or more points. It's also worth noting that all seven of her made field goals this season have come from behind the arc.
 
It's Time for Tenley                                                                                              
Tenley Dowell has scored 38 points over Butler's last five games (7.6 ppg). She only scored 18 over the first seven contests of the season (2.5 ppg). These numbers are a great sign for Dowell, who missed all but one game last year with a knee injury.
 
Continue To Attack                                                                                             
Jaia Alexander has gone 12-for-17 from the free throw line over the past two games. She was just 6-10 from the charity stripe in her first seven games.
 
12-For-12                                                                                                               
Okako Adika is the only player on the Butler roster to start in all 12 games this season. Other Bulldogs to be active in all 12 games this year include Tenley Dowell, Ellen Ross, and Annilia Dawn.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
Butler will play at Xavier on Monday, Feb. 8. Tip on BEDN will go up at 7 PM.