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INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Providence will meet inside Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday night at 7 PM. These two teams were originally scheduled to play Jan. 2 on FS1, but the game was rescheduled due to COVID-19 issues. With the new date in place, the Bulldogs will now play the Friars for the second time in just six days.
 
Bulldog Bits
- Celena Taborn leads the NCAA in field goal percentage (67.5%).
- Senior Ellen Ross made the first start of her BU career at Creighton.
- Kendall Wingler led BU in scoring for the second time this season with 14 points vs. the Bluejays.
- Butler had just 12 turnovers at Creighton, setting a new season-low total.
 
Scouting Providence                                                                             
The Friars split a pair of home games last weekend to move their overall record to 10-14. PC recorded a win over Butler on Friday, but took a 62-60 loss two days later against Xavier on FS1. Providence outscored Butler 25-12 in the fourth quarter on Feb. 11 to earn a 64-53 victory at Alumni Hall. The fourth quarter would haunt the home team on Sunday however with the Musketeers outscoring the Friars 22-14. Providence went ice cold in the second half against Xavier, hitting just seven of their 28 field goal attempts (25%). Olivia Olsen was a standout player for Coach Crowley in each game last week. She scored 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds against Butler and followed that effort with a career-high 17 points against the Musketeers. As a team, Providence leads the BIG EAST and ranks third in the nation in blocked shots (147 total / 6.1 per game). That stat helps the Friars also lead the BIG EAST in field goal percentage defense (37.1).
 
All-Time Series vs. Providence                                                            
The all-time series between Butler and Providence favors the Bulldogs 11-8. The Friars narrowed the gap last season by defeating Butler three times. PC won at Butler in the BU home opener on Dec. 5 and held off the 'Dawgs at Alumni Hall 62-50. The third meeting came in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament. Butler led Providence for nearly 27 minutes, but the Friars came back to advance with a 63-61 victory.
 
Last Meeting vs. Providence                                                               
A 25-point fourth quarter sparked Providence over Butler, 64-53, with Olivia Olsen notching a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double. Butler led by six at the half and by two after three quarters, but Olsen and Kylee Sheppard would allow the home team to complete the comeback. Sheppard hit two 3-pointers down the stretch to reach 11 points in the game. Mary Baskerville and Janai Crooms were also in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively. Butler was led by Celena Taborn and her 24-point, seven-rebound performance. Taborn made 11 of her 14 shots and also blocked three shots for the Bulldogs. BU shot 40% from the field, but were limited to just eight made field goals in the second half (4 each quarter).
 
Providence at Hinkle Fieldhouse                                                                      
Providence will travel to Hinkle Fieldhouse for the ninth time this week. The Bulldogs are 5-3 against the Friars when playing on their home court. Butler won the first three meetings, but fell to Providence for the first time in 2016-17 (58-64). Two years later, the Friars would once again trip up Butler in overtime (66-63). Looking at the big picture, a majority of these games have been close. Five of the eight games have been decided by 10 points or less. Butler has averaged 61.8 points per game during these contests and Providence is close behind at 60.2 ppg.
 
Taborn For Two!                                                                                                  
Celena Taborn is on pace to break the Butler single-season field goal percentage record. The Furman transfer has made 104 of her 154 attempts (67.5%). The current record is 65.5% held by Liesl Schultz. Schultz has her name listed three total times in the top ten. She shot 65.5 percent (55-84) in the 1991-92 season. She shot 60.4% (142-235) in the 1993-94 campaign and 59.6% (165-227) in 1994-95.
 
Home Sweet Hinkle                                                                                             
Butler will finish the regular season playing four of their final five games at Hinkle Fieldhouse. A year ago, Butler won two of their last three games including a huge upset at #25 DePaul in the regular season finale (86-81 at Wintrust Arena).
 
Get the Board                                                                                        
Tenley Dowell or Celena Taborn have led BU in the rebound column in 18 of the team's 22 games this year. Dowell has led BU 10 times; Taborn has led eight times.
 
Run the Point                                                                                         
Zoe Jackson has twice as many assists this season than any other player on the roster. The true freshman has dished out 63 assists this year to average 3.0 per contest. She has led Butler in assists 11 times this year and ranks 13th in the BIG EAST. Jackson was unavailable to play at Creighton on Feb. 13 due to injury. She is listed as day-to-day.
 
Best vs. the BIG EAST                                                                            
Tenley Dowell and Emilia Sexton rank second and third on the team in scoring against BIG EAST competition. Dowell has reached double figures in four of Butler's last eight games and shined in last week's setback to Seton Hall with a career-high 17 points. Sexton scored a career-high 19 points in a home contest vs. DePaul and recently posted 10 points at Creighton.
 
Starting Five Shuffle                                                                              
Butler has used 14 different starting lineups over 22 games this season. The combination of Celena Taborn, Trinity White, Zoe Jackson, Alex Richard and Kendall Wingler have been used the most this year (five times). Butler rolled out Taborn, Jaynes, Jackson, Dowell and Sexton against the Friars and Taborn, Jaynes, Ross, Dowell and Sexton at Creighton. Taborn has started in 17 consecutive games. Dowell has the second longest streak on the team with 10-straight starts.
 
Fantastic Freshmen                                                                               
Butler freshmen have scored 720 of the 1,283 Bulldog points this season (56.1%). BU first-year players scored 25 of the team's 49 points at Creighton. A freshman has led BU in scoring nine times this year, including last Sunday with Kendall Wingler scoring 14 points at Creighton.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
Butler will host Xavier on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 7 PM. The late start is due to the men's team hosting a game at Hinkle Fieldhouse earlier that day.