PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Butler women's basketball team (0-5, 0-4 BIG EAST) took a 62-50 loss at Providence (5-6, 3-3 BIG EAST) on Thursday afternoon. The Bulldogs trailed by nine at the final media timeout, and a late 7-0 Friar scoring run would seal the victory.
 
Chanell Williams and Mary Baskerville would lead PC to the season sweep over Butler. Williams scored a game-high 16 points and would fill the box score with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in 32 minutes of action. On the inside, Baskerville helped Providence outscore Butler 40-16 in the paint. She finished the game with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
 
Top players for Butler on Thursday included Okako Adika, Genesis Parker and Upe Atosu. Adika led the 'Dawgs with 14 points and six rebounds. Four of her five made field goals at Alumni Hall were from 3-point range. Parker made her season debut and came up with nine points, two assists and a steal. Atosu was also a top scorer with eight points.
 
The start of the game was a difference maker between Butler and Providence. The Friars led 6-0 at the first media timeout and would move that advantage to 17-4 after the opening 10 minutes. BU shot just 15 percent from the floor (2-13), but would fight back to get within one possession in the second.
 
Shots started to fall for Bulldogs after the first period and a triple from Atosu with 3:42 left in the second would get BU within three at 24-21. The momentum would shift back to the home team however with PC ending the first half on a 10-2 scoring run.
 
An 11-point halftime lead would grow to 15 at the end of three quarters. Parker heated up in the fourth, knocking down two 3-pointers to get Butler back within nine at the final media timeout (3:15), but a 7-0 Friar scoring run would end any chance of a comeback.
 
Butler will travel to Queens, N.Y. tomorrow in preparation for a 2 PM tip at St. John's on Saturday.