GAME NOTES
 
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler and Georgetown will go head-to-head on Wednesday night at McDonough Arena. Each program will be looking to secure their second conference win of the season. Tip on FloSports.com goes up at 7 PM.
 
GameDay
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 11
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Washington, D.C. - McDonough Arena
Live Stats: GUHoyas.com – Statbroadcast
Watch: FloSports.com – BEDN
 
BIG EAST Standings
UConn 6-0, 13-2
Seton Hall 7-1, 14-4
St. John's 5-1, 14-1
Villanova 5-1, 14-3
DePaul 3-2, 10-6
Creighton 4-3, 10-5
Marquette 3-4, 10-6
Georgetown 1-5, 8-7
Providence 1-6, 10-8
Butler 1-6, 6-10
Xavier 0-7, 7-9
 
Bulldog Bits
- Wednesday is the 19th overall meeting between Butler and Georgetown.
- Kendall Wingler scored a season-high 16 points at Villanova, one point shy of her Butler-high and six shy of her career-high (22 vs. Tennessee Tech).
- Wingler led BU in scoring for the third time in her career (14 at Creighton, 17 vs. Ball State)
- Trinity White scored a season-high 10 points vs. the Wildcats. She entered the contest 16 points over her first 14 games.
- Wingler and White each made their first start of the season at Villanova and logged season-high minute totals.
- Rachel McLimore and Sydney Jaynes are the only Bulldogs to start in all 16 games. Strande, Dowell and Taylor join them as players to appear in all 16.
- The Bulldogs have used six different starting lineups this season.
- Butler started four returning players for the first time this season on Sunday.
- BU newcomers account for 67.7 percent of the team's scoring this season.
- Tenley Dowell has hit at least one 3-pointer in eight-straight games.
- The Bulldogs are 3-1 this year when playing on Wednesday.
- Rachel McLimore needs one more steal to reach 100 in her collegiate career.
- Jordan Meulemans returned to action at Villanova, but Shay Frederick was inactive.
- Sydney Jaynes ranks 10th in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (48.0).
- Jaynes was the team leader in Villanova with five rebounds and three assists.
- Georgetown is 5-2 at home this season and the Bulldogs are 1-5 on the road.
- Each team recorded their first BIG EAST win against Xavier.
 
Scouting Georgetown                                                                           
The Hoyas are 8-7 overall with a 1-5 mark in the BIG EAST. Head Coach James Howard has three newcomers in the starting lineup to play alongside Kelsey Ransom and Graceann Bennett. Ransom ranks second on the team with an 11.8 scoring average and is the team leader in steals with 39. The Hoyas lead the BIG EAST in steals per game (9.4), but are near the bottom of the BIG EAST in field goal, 3-point and free throw percentage. Kennedy Fauntleroy took home BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors on Monday after posting 24 points, three rebounds, two steals and two assists against Villanova. She's the top scoring freshman in the conference at 11.9 points per game. Fauntleroy leads GU with 22 made 3-pointers this season and also averages 2.4 steals per game.
 
All-Time Series vs. Georgetown                                                         
The all-time series between Butler and Georgetown is tied at 9-9. The Hoyas have won the last two meetings to pull even with the Bulldogs. Butler's last win over Georgetown was an 18-point victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Jan. 13, 2021. Their last win at Georgetown came on Jan. 12, 2020 (47-46).
 
Butler's Last Game vs. Georgetown                                                  
Butler ended the 2021-22 regular season with a home game against Georgetown. The Hoyas opened up a 17-7 lead after the first quarter and would cruise to a 69-48 victory. Kelsey Ransom paced the offense with a team-high 15 points to go with five assists and three steals. She shot 7-for-12 from the field to help GU shoot 45 percent in the game. Butler got 10 points and four assists from Trinity White. Tenley Dowell also played well with eight points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
 
Georgetown's Last Game                                                                                   
Villanova held off an upset-minded Georgetown squad, which narrowed a 14-point deficit down to three with under two minutes to play. Maddy Siegrist tallied game highs of 29 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Kennedy Fauntleroy led Georgetown (8-7, 1-5 BIG EAST) with 24 points off 9-of-15 shooting. GU used a 13-0 run to get within one, 61-60, with 4:56 left, but neither team scored for the next three minutes as the Wildcats clung to the advantage. Villanova scored the next six points to pull away late.
 
Key to the Game                                                                                                  
Georgetown leads the BIG EAST in steals per game (9.4) and the Bulldogs averaging 17.3 turnovers per contest. Against Villanova, the Bulldogs turned it over 16 times, which led to 17 Wildcat points. This season, Butler is 4-7 when they commit more turnovers than their opponent.
 
Behind The Arc                                                                                       
Butler ranks 14th in the NCAA and second in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goal percentage (37.4). Six Bulldogs were responsible for seven made 3-pointers at Villanova on Sunday. Kendall Wingler led the way making 2-of-3. The Bulldogs average 7.4 made 3-point field goals per game (3rd in the BIG EAST) and Georgetown ranks 10th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (32.9).
 
School Record Set at McDonough Arena                                         
Butler made 16 3-pointers at Georgetown on Jan. 11, 2014 to set a new program record. Five Bulldogs made at least one shot from behind the arc that day, but Mandy McDivitt and Blaire Langlois did the heavy lifting by combining for 11 of the 16. The 'Dawgs shot 45.7 percent from distance making 9-of-18 in the first half and 7-of-17 in the second.
 
New Look                                                                                                              
21 student-athletes saw playing time last year when Butler faced Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Of those 21, only 10 return for Wednesday night's meeting including three starters. Tenley Dowell started for the Bulldogs and the Hoyas return Brianna Scott and Graceann Bennett. Overall, Butler brought in eight newcomers and Georgetown reloaded with six.
 
Net Rankings                                                                                          
Six of Butler's last seven opponents appear in the Top-45 of the latest NCAA NET Rankings (NCAA Evaluation Tool). That stretch of the schedule included games against Villanova (21), UConn (3), Seton Hall (42), Indiana (5), Marquette (41), and Illinois (29). The Illini and Wildcats also just slid back into the AP Top-25 along with UConn and IU. Butler's next opponent is Creighton and the Bluejays are 28 in the NET Rankings and receiving votes in the AP Poll. The NET Rankings replaced the RPI prior to the 2018-19 season. The RPI was heavily based on winning percentages, but the NET Rankings take into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, quality of wins etc.
 
Time to Unpack                                                                                     
Seven of Butler's first 10 games this season were played at Hinkle Fieldhouse, but the schedule recently flipped forcing the 'Dawgs to play six of their last seven on the road. The Georgetown game marks the end of that stretch and Butler will play four of their next six games in Indianapolis. BU also ends the regular season with three of four at home.
 
When the Hoyas Host                                                                          
Butler is 4-5 when playing at Georgetown since joining the BIG EAST Conference. They have never lost three-straight in D.C.
 
Villanova Recap                                                                                                    
The Wildcats stretched their winning streak to five as Maddy Siegrist tallied 36 points and 13 rebounds in the home win. The nation's leading scorer upped her average to 28.5 points per game following her seventh 30-point game of the season. Siegrist jumped to No. 5 on the BIG EAST's all-time scoring list with 1,279 points over 55 conference games, passing UConn's Maya Moore (1,270 over 64). Villanova (14-3, 5-1) led wire-to-wire, with Butler (6-10, 1-6) getting within five late in the third quarter. Kendall Wingler led the Bulldogs with 16 points off 5-of-7 shooting.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
Butler will return to Hinkle Fieldhouse to host the Creighton Bluejays on Saturday, Jan. 14. The 4 PM tip will air live on FS1.