INDIANAPOLIS – Sydney Jaynes posted the first double-double of her collegiate career on Sunday afternoon setting new career-high totals with 26 points and 10 rebounds, but the Bulldogs would come up just short against Illinois to take a 65-63 setback. Butler moves to 5-5 on the year while the Illini improve to 9-2.
 
Stat of the Game
Only four Bulldogs scored against Illinois. Sydney Jaynes (26), Jessica Carrothers (18), Tenley Dowell (11) and Rachel McLimore (8) accounted for all 63 points.
 
How it Happened
Jessica Carrothers gave Butler a 10-9 lead at the first media timeout by burying back-to-back 3-pointers. The 'Dawgs shot 43 percent from behind the arc (3-7) in the first quarter to earn a 13-11 lead over Illinois. The Illini used the opposite strategy, scoring eight of their 11 points in the paint.
 
Illinois quickly tied the game at 15-15 and a 9-0 scoring run would give the visitors a 20-15 lead with 7:51 to play in the second quarter. Butler called a timeout in an attempt to cool off the Illini, but Genesis Bryant added another 3-pointer after the stoppage.
 
Sydney Janes scored on the left block for Butler and would add a 3-pointer from the left wing a few trips later to cut the Illinois lead to seven at 29-22. The Illini outscored Butler 18-11 in the second quarter, but McLimore added a field goal at the buzzer to get BU within five at the break.
 
Illinois opened the second half on a 6-2 scoring run to push their lead to nine points. Butler called timeout, but the Illini would hit the 'Dawgs with a 7-0 run to make the game 42-29.
 
Carrothers came alive for BU in the final stages of the third quarter and helped BU get back within eight points at 45-37. She supplied BU with four points and two steals in just over one minute of action. The standout freshman also ended the third frame with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the top of the key to get Butler within six for the final 10 minutes.
 
Tenley Dowell opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it a one possession game at 48-45. Jaynes followed with a step-back post move to make it a one-point game on Butler's next possession.
 
Jaynes stepped out and hit a 3-pointer to give Butler a 51-50 lead with 7:40 to play in the fourth. Peebles countered with a triple of her own and a steal and a score from the Illini got the advantage back to four points at 55-51.
 
Butler called a timeout trailing by six with six minutes to play. The BU offense went cold over the next two minutes, but Rachel McLimore broke up an Illini run with a 3-pointer from the corner and Jaynes followed with a 3 from the top of the key.
 
The shots from distance got Butler back within four at 61-57 with two and a half to play. Jaynes went back to work in post to score a bucket with two minutes to play and the Bulldogs would reach the bonus at the 1:20 mark. Jaynes stepped to the line to hit a pair of free throws and the game would once again tighten up to just four points with one minute to play at Hinkle.
 
Carrothers hit a pull-up jumper to push her scoring total to a career-high 18 points and Butler would trail Illinois by just two with 37 seconds left. Illinois used a 30-second timeout to draw up a play. They had 23 seconds left on the shot clock, but didn't use it and the 'Dawgs would get the ball back with 19.7 seconds left.
 
Austin Parkinson used his final timeout for the final possession. Carrothers got the ball and looked for a ball screen from Jaynes. The ball would move from the middle of the floor to the right wing with a pass to Tenley Dowell. Dowell took a 3-pointer, but the shot was blocked and Illinois would collect the loose ball. BU fouled in an attempt to extend the game, but the Illini would hang on for the 65-63 victory.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Jaynes added two blocked shots and two assists to her double-double performance
- All four BU players that scored hit at least one 3-pointer
- Jordan Meulemans led Butler with a career-high five assists
- Jessica Carrothers ended the day with a career-high 18 points and a team-high three steals
- Illinois shot 44 percent from the field overall and 50 percent in the fourth quarter
- Makira Cook led Illinois with 22 points
- Kendall Bostic impacted the action with 11 rebounds and five blocked shots
- Butler shot 42 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range
- The 'Dawgs ended the game with nine made 3-pointers
- BU did not attempt a free throw in the first half, but would go 6-for-11 from the line in the second
- The Bulldogs only had six turnovers in each half
- Illinois outrebounded Butler 42-28
- BU didn't have any bench points
- Illinois had eight assists on their first 11 field goals
- Illinois used a 14-0 run to take the lead in the second quarter
- Carrothers and Jaynes combined for 44 points
- Illinois played at Hinkle Fieldhouse for the first time today
- Anna Mortag and Kendall Wingler were not active for Sunday's game
 
Up Next
Butler's first BIG EAST road test will take the team to Milwaukee to face the Marquette Golden Eagles. Tip on Dec. 18 is set for 3 PM.