VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Bulldogs took a 98-74 loss at Villanova on Tuesday night. The Wildcats were just one 3-pointer shy of tying the BIG EAST single-game record.
 
How It Happened
The Bulldogs won the opening tip and grabbed a quick 3-0 lead over Villanova with Okako Adika knocking down a shot from behind the arc. The Wildcats responded with a 9-0 scoring run over the next 1:23 to force BU into calling a timeout. Sarah Mortensen led the charge for the Wildcats early by scoring seven of Nova's first 12 points. Mortensen and Maddy Siegrist were nearly unstoppable in the opening stages of the game. They combined to score Nova's first 21 points. Siegrist made three 3-pointers over the first 10 minutes of action and Mortensen added two. Villanova held a 32-19 lead after the first by shooting 7-for-13 from 3-point land.
 
3-point shooting was the difference in the second quarter as well with Nova hitting four more triples over the first four minutes. Siegrist reached 20 points in the game with six minutes to play in the second quarter. Her fifth 3-pointer of the game capped an 11-0 Nova run that pushed the score to 48-21. The home team owned a 67-26 lead at the half. They shot 62 percent from long range (16-for-26) and had eight different student-athletes hit at least one triple over the first 20 minutes of the game.
 
Butler moved away from the 2-3 zone and went with man-to-man defense in the second half. The adjustment helped slow down the Wildcats and the 'Dawgs would win the opening five minutes of the third quarter 15-11. Upe Atosu dished out her fifth assist of the contest by finding Rosemarie Dumont in the paint and moments later Genesis Parker would hit her first 3-pointer of the game. Butler's best basketball came after the half. They recorded 24 third-quarter points and won that frame by five.
 
24 more Butler points went on the scoreboard at the Finneran Pavilion as the Bulldogs continued to fight in the fourth quarter. Atosu ignited a 9-0 scoring run midway through the final frame, helping BU outscore Villanova by 12 in the fourth. Over the final 20 minutes, Butler would outscore the home team 48-31.
 
Stat of the Game
Villanova was credited with 22 assists on 24 made field goals in the first half.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Okako Adika led Butler in scoring with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
- Upe Atosu was all over tonight with 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
- 74 points is a new season-high total for BU.
- Butler went 19-for-23 from the free throw line.
- Abby Stoddard hit the first 3-pointer of her collegiate career. She added three assists and three steals.
- Nyamer Diew would leave the game with an injury and not play in the second half.
- Jaia Alexander was inactive.
 
Up Next
Butler will host Xavier on Monday, Feb. 22. The 6 PM tip inside Hinkle Fieldhouse will stream on FloHoops.com.