CHICAGO – (RV) DePaul recorded a 101-64 victory against Butler on Friday night to signal the start of the BIG EAST season. Alex Richard and Zoe Jackson each scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. Richard led the way with 14 points and Jackson added 12.
 
How It Happened
DePaul shot 55 percent from the field and handed out 24 assists on 40 made field goals in the BIG EAST opener. Five Blue Demons hit double figures in the scoring column. Head Coach Doug Bruno's team was led by Deja Church. She scored a team-high 19 points in 22 minutes. Church and Kierra Collier each hit three 3-pointers to help DePaul reach nine as a team. Collier had 14 points off the bench, Lexi Held had 16 and Sonya Morris added 10.
 
Morris had two field goals in the first quarter, but was also hit with two personal fouls sending her to the DePaul bench. Held picked up the scoring load in her absence with a team-high eight first quarter points. Richard matched Held with eight points in the first for BU. Butler led for a majority of the first, but the Blue Demons would score with 1.3 seconds left to lead after the opening 10 minutes 17-16.
 
Butler hit a rough patch at the start of the second quarter. The Blue Demons didn't hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter, but hit three in less than two minutes in the second quarter to spark a 15-2 scoring run. The 'Dawgs called a timeout trailing 32-20 and would face a 50-27 halftime deficit. DePaul ended the first half on a 7-0 scoring run and would win that quarter 33-11 to build their lead.
 
Aneesah Morrow got DePaul going in the third quarter. The freshman scored eight points pushing her game total to 13. Morrow would be whistled for her third personal foul which led to more shots for Church. Morrow and Church scored 16 combined points over the first five minutes of the second half. The Blue Demons would win the third by 10 points, giving the home team an 81-48 advantage.
 
Butler continued to fight in the fourth. The Bulldogs outscored DePaul over the first five minutes 14-12. The Blue Demons would eventually pour in 20 total points to hit 101 on the scoreboard at the final buzzer.
 
Stat of the Game
DePaul scored 31 points off 31 Butler turnovers.
 
Inside the Box Score
- DePaul went 12-for-14 from the free throw line
- Butler shot 46 percent from the field, making 27 of their 59 attempts.
- DePaul recorded 14 steals helping them score 25 fast break points.
- Tenley Dowell led Butler with seven rebounds.
- Kendall Wingler ended the game with eight points.
- Kate Tanner made her Butler debut tonight.
- The Bulldogs used a new starting five unit
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will travel to Milwaukee tonight to prep for a Sunday game against Marquette. Tip at the Al McGuire Center is set for 3 PM.