INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Seton Hall were separated by just seven points heading into the fourth quarter on Sunday afternoon, but the Pirates would outscored the Bulldogs 17-8 over the final 10 minutes to clinch their 11th win of the season. Andra Espinoza-Hunter led all players with 21 points. Butler was led in the scoring column by Tenley Dowell and her career-high 17 points.
 
How It Happened
Zoe Jackson supplied Butler with their first five points of the game. The true freshman hit a three from the corner then drove hard through the paint for a left-handed layup moments later. Alex Richard would also add a field goal for BU from the right block before the first media timeout, but SHU would lead BU 8-7 at the first stoppage.
 
Sidney Cooks established herself in the paint for the Pirates and came up with four quick points for the visitors. Lauren Park-Lane also got into the paint to score four points on a pair of floaters from the BIG EAST logo.
 
After the break, Sydney Jaynes regained the lead for BU at 9-8, but the Pirates would quickly counter with a 3-pointer from Mya Jackson. Park-Lane and Curtessia Dean also added 3-pointers to give SHU a 10-0 scoring run to double Butler up at 18-9.
 
Tenley Dowell hit a triple for BU with 90 seconds left in the first quarter to stop the run, but the Pirates would lead the Bulldogs 23-12 after the opening 10 minutes.
 
BU used a 6-0 run to get back within 10 points after the first three minutes of the second quarter. Dowell hit a 3-pointer in transition from the right wing to push the Bulldog scoring total to 18 and Sydney Jaynes hit a three from the top of the key on the next trip to extend the scoring spree to 9-0.
 
Seton Hall head coach Anthony Bozzella had seen enough after BU got back within five points at 28-23. He called a timeout in an attempt to stop the 11-0 BU scoring run and the strategy paid off. Dean hit her second 3-pointer of the game out of the timeout against a Butler zone defense.
 
Seton Hall hit seven first half 3-pointers, but the Bulldogs won the second quarter 19-13 to cut into that Pirate lead. Butler shot 50 percent from the field (12-24) over the first 20 minutes and the Pirates were close behind at 46 percent (13-28). Dowell led BU with 10 points and Andra Espinoza-Hunter was the scoring leader for SHU with 11.
 
Seton Hall called a timeout just two minutes into the second half to set up a full court press. The Bulldogs handled the pressure and would eventually take a slim 41-40 lead over SHU after a Dowell 3-pointer.
 
Seton Hall started to play better during the midway point of the third. They went on an 8-0 scoring run to push their lead back to up to seven at 48-41.
 
BU head coach Kurt Godlevske checked Kendall Wingler into the game to give Butler some more offense. She hit a jumper in the paint for the 'Dawgs and came back with a 3-pointer on the next trip to keep BU within five. SHU outscored BU 19-17 in the third to take a 55-48 lead into the final 10 minutes.
 
Espinoza-Hunter hit her fifth 3-pointer of the game to signal the start of the fourth quarter. The shot gave SHU a 10-point lead just 17 seconds into the final frame.
 
A steal and a score from Seton Hall with seven minutes left would push their lead to 14 and result in a Butler timeout. The Pirates scored the first ten points of the fourth to take control of the game. SHU led by 20 with two minutes left and would earn a 16-point win at Hinkle Fieldhouse to end the weekend.
 
Stat of the Game
Tenley Dowell scored a career-high 17 points. She just missed a double-double by adding nine rebounds.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Sydney Jaynes hit the first 3-pointer of her BU career against Seton Hall
- BU shot 50% from the field in the first half (12-24), but just 39 percent for the game
- Every member of the BU starting five recorded an assist in the first half vs. SHU
- Seton Hall had a 10-0 run in the first half, but BU answered with an 11-0 run
- Lauren Park-Lane had a double-double for SHU with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists
- Sidney Cooks recorded 12 points before fouling out for SHU
- Butler was held to just two made field goals in the fourth quarter
 
Up Next
Butler will host St. John's on Wednesday, Feb. 9. The contest will tip at 7 PM on BEDN.