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INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Illinois will go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The game is Butler's last home non-conference matchup of the season. Jon Cupo and Andrew Mild will have the call on FloSports.com. Opening tip will go up at 2 PM.
 
GameDay
Date: Sunday, Dec. 11
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com - Statbroadcast.com
Watch: FloSports.com - Butler+
 
Bulldog Bits
- Sunday is Butler's last home game of 2022 as the 'Dawgs prep for four-straight road games.
- Sunday is the fifth overall meeting between Butler and Illinois. It's the first time for Illinois to visit Hinkle Fieldhouse.
- Butler ranks second in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (46.2%) and third in 3-point FG% (39.0).
- Rachel McLimore ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goal percentage (45.2%) and Anna Mortag is tied for sixth (12-28 / 42.9%).
- Shay Frederick has hit a 3-pointer in seven-straight games. She is 10-24 from deep this season (41%).
- Trinity White made her first 3-pointer of the season on Wednesday night while adding a season-high two steals.
- BU averages 7.1 made 3-pointers per game, the fourth-best average in the BIG EAST.
- Jessica Carrothers ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (56.0%) and Sydney Jaynes ranks seventh (55.9%).
- Carrothers is the seventh-best free throw shooter in the BIG EAST, hitting 81.8% from the line.
- The Bulldogs have made 10 or more free throws in five-straight games.
- Carrothers has made three field goals in four-straight games and came up with a career-high five steals vs. the Screaming Eagles.
- BU tied their season-high with 10 steals vs. USI.
- McLimore has a steal in seven-straight games.
- BU has pulled down 10+ offensive rebounds in back-to-back games.
- Butler ranks third in the BIG EAST in defensive rebounds (28.8) and fourth in rebound margin (+7.6).
- Caroline Strande pulled down a career-high eight rebounds in her first-ever BU start. She added a season-high three assists vs. Southern Indiana.
- Tenley Dowell played a season-high 20 minutes vs. Southern Indiana and tied her season-high point total with nine.
 
Scouting Illinois                                                                                      
First-year head coach Shauna Green has the Fighting Illini off to an 8-2 start to the season. Illinois recently played two conference games taking a 65-61 loss at #5/4 Indiana, but responding with an 80-62 win over Rutgers in their Big Ten home opener. Illinois leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense (33.8), 3-point percentage defense (24.5), 3-point percentage (41.8), rebounds per game (44.4), and rebound margin (+12.2). Indiana native Kendall Bostic leads the Big Ten in rebounds and rebounds per game. The Michigan State transfer has 95 on the season to average 9.5 per contest. The top two scoring threats on the roster are guards Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie. Cook leads the team with her 17.5 scoring average and is near the team lead in three-point shooting (52.6%). McKenzie was a four-star recruit that is already averaging 16.2 points per game as a sophomore.
 
All-Time Series vs. Illinois                                                                                   
Illinois leads the all-time series against Butler 3-1. The first meeting came during the 1996-97 campaign with the Illini winning on their home court 94-62. Butler's lone win over the Illini came in the 1998 San Diego Masry and Vititoe Classic. The 'Dawgs won 81-65 to even the series. Illinois took control of the series with a 65-47 win over BU in the 2006 season opener and they most recently took down the 'Dawgs in 2021 by the final score of 78-66.
 
Last Meeting vs. Illinois                                                                        
Trinity White scored a career-high 21 points in the setback at Illinois last year. BU opened the game with a pair of 3-pointers, but would trail the Illini 17-12 after the first quarter. Illinois went on a 7-0 scoring run in the first quarter and added a 10-0 run in the second to lead BU 31-24 at the half. The Bulldogs continued to fight and would tie the game at 37-37 in the second half. The turning point in the game came midway through the third when De'Myla Brown scored 10-straight points for Illinois. Her scoring spree gave the home team a 49-41 lead and Butler would eventually fall 78-66. McKenzie, Peebles and Bostic all started for Illinois last year. That trio combined for 42 points. Bostic added a game-high 13 rebounds.
 
Save the Best for Last                                                                           
Butler has scored 20 points in a quarter 14 times this season. Two times in the first, three times in the second, three times in the third and six times in the fourth quarter.
 
NCAA Ranking                                                                                        
Butler ranks 16th in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage (39.0). The 'Dawgs made eight 3-pointers in their last game with six coming in the second half. Rachel McLimore, Shay Frederick and Tenley Dowell each had two triples against Southern Indiana. McLimore leads Butler from behind the arc with 14 makes. She shoots it at 45.2%.
 
Southern Indiana Recap                                                                                     
Butler collected their fifth win of the season with a 58-48 victory over visiting Southern Indiana on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs limited the Screaming Eagles to just 24 second half points to come out on top. BU shot 50-percent from the field in the second half, including 54.5% from three, to pull away.
 
Sydney Shines vs. Southern Indiana                                                  
Sydney Jaynes recorded a team-high 12 points in the win over Southern Indiana. It was the third time in her young career that she led BU in scoring. Jaynes filled up the box score with eight rebounds, four assists and a career-high four blocked shots. The sophomore forward also set career-high totals from the foul line by going 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.
 
Winning Recipe                                                                                      
In every win this season, the Bulldogs have led at halftime, held their opponent under 40 percent from the field, outrebounded their opponent, have had more bench points, have shot more free throws, and have held the opponent under 60 points.
 
New Look                                                                                                              
Four of the eight Butler student-athletes that played in the Illinois game one year ago are no longer with the program. Trinity White and Kendall Wingler each started in the contest and logged over 30 minutes of playing time. The duo combined for six 3-pointers helping result in 30 points. Tenley Dowell impacted the action with six rebounds and Sydney Jaynes added four boards, two blocks and two steals in 15 minutes.
 
Butler vs. the Big Ten                                                                           
The Bulldogs have not defeated a team from the Big Ten Conference since 2018! Butler defeated Ohio State on Dec. 20 that season in the first game of the West Palm Invitational.  BU ended the 2018-19 campaign with 23 total wins and a trip to the WNIT Sweet 16.
 
A look Ahead                                                                                                        
Six of Butler's next eight opponents are either nationally ranked or receiving votes in the most recent Top-25 AP Poll. Marquette and Seton Hall are each receiving votes, Indiana is ranked #4, UConn is #6, Villanova is #25 and Creighton is #18.
 
Milestone Markers                                                                                              
Rachel McLimore hit two 3-pointers vs. Southern Indiana to move her career total to 100! She only needs four more steals to get to 100.
 
Floor General                                                                                         
Shay Frederick has 508 assists in her collegiate career, the 12th-highest total of any Division I player. Two other BIG EAST players appear in the top-ten. Lauren Park-Lane of Seton Hall ranks fifth with 544 assists and Mimi Reid of St. John's ranks 10th with 518 assists.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
The first BIG EAST road trip of the season is up next for the Butler women's basketball program. The Bulldogs will head to Milwaukee to play the Golden Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 18. Tip is set for 3 PM.