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INDIANAPOLIS – Butler's final non-conference test of the season is up next as the Bulldogs play host to the Ohio Bobcats on Thursday afternoon. The game features an early 1 PM tip and will stream on the Butler Athletics YouTube page for free.
 
GameDay
Date: Thursday, Dec. 21
Time: 1 PM
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. - Hinkle Fieldhouse
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com – Statbroadcast
Watch: YouTube
 
Bulldog Bits
- Jordan Meulemans ranks second in the BIG EAST and 10th in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage.
- Caroline Strande ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in rebounding (7.2) and 11th in scoring (15.8).
- Ari Wiggins ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in steals per game (2.0).
- Rachel Kent has scored in double figures in five of Butler's last six games. She is averaging 14.5 ppg during that stretch.
- Karsyn Norman scored a career-high 10 points at the XL Center.
- Butler was credited with an assist on 19 of their 25 made field goals at UConn.
- Wiggins led BU with five assists and Norman added four.
- Butler led UConn by one point after the first quarter (21-20).
- Butler has now led UConn after the first quarter in back-to-back meetings.
- BU shot 62.5 percent from 3-point range in Hartford (10-16).
- The Bulldogs rank second in the BIG EAST in 3-pointers made per game (8.6).
- BU freshmen accounted for 13 of Butler's 18 fourth quarter points at UConn on Monday.
- Butler will only play UConn once this year.
 
BIG EAST Standings
Marquette 1-0, 11-0
UConn 1-0, 8-3
St. John's 1-0, 6-6
Georgetown 0-0, 9-1
Creighton 0-1, 8-2
Seton Hall 0-0, 8-3
Butler 0-1, 7-4
DePaul 0-0, 7-5
Providence 0-0, 6-5
Villanova 0-1, 6-5
Xavier 0-0, 1-8
 
Scouting Ohio                                                                                         
The Bobcats are 3-5 overall with all three victories coming on their home court (Convocation Center). Three players scored in double figures for Ohio in their last game, leading the team to a 65-62 win over Indiana State. Laylay Fantroy had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, Jaya McClure led all players with 21 points and Kennedi Watkins returned to the court to score 15. Head Coach Bob Bolden is in his 11th season at the helm of the program. They rank second in the Mid-American Conference in bench points per game (24.8) and steals per game (11.2). Ohio jumps first in the MAC at defending the 3-point line (26.3). At the start of the season, the Bobcats were picked to finish ninth in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
All-Time Series                                                                                       
Butler is 2-1 all-time against Ohio. The first meeting was an 84-53 setback in Athens on Nov. 26, 2007. Butler's first win came the following year in the season opener. BU squeaked out a 59-58 win at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
Last Meeting vs. Ohio                                                                           
Butler recorded a 60-55 win over Ohio in the 2019 Daytona Beach Invitational.
 
Hoosier Ties                                                                                                          
Ohio Head Coach Bob Bolden did some heavy recruiting in Indiana recently. Three of the five freshman on the Bobcat roster are Hoosiers. Monica Williams played at Lawrence North, Asiah Baxter played at Warren Central and Bailey Tabeling played at Trinity Lutheran. Butler's Sydney Jaynes also went to Trinity Lutheran High School.
 
Up-tempo                                                                                                              
Ohio has turned the ball over 18 times or more in every game this season. They average 22.6 turnovers per game, but force 23.5 per game.
 
Stay Fresh                                                                                                              
Ohio has nine players averaging 17 minutes of playing time or more this season. Jaya McClure is the only Bobcat to log over 30 minutes of playing time on a nightly basis.
 
Point Guard Head Coaches                                                                  
Austin Parkinson and Bob Bolden each played point guard during their collegiate careers. Parkinson played in 120 games at Purdue and ended his four-year career with 386 assists. Bolden was a four-year starter at Walsh and is still the school record holder in career assists with 775.
 
Point Guard Play                                                                                                  
Ari Wiggins and Karsyn Norman took care of the basketball at UConn on Monday night. The duo combined for nine assists and just two turnovers. Each Bulldog played 20 minutes against the Huskies.
 
Youth Movement                                                                                                 
Karsyn Norman, Riley Makalusky and Cristen Carter all played well in their first game against a ranked opponent. Norman hit multiple 3-pointers in a game for the first time this season and Makalusky didn't miss a shot, going 3-for-3 with a 3-pointer to net seven points. Carter did her damage inside with six points, three rebounds, and an assist in 15 minutes of court time.
 
Career Milestone                                                                                                 
Rachel Kent needs two points against Ohio to reach 1,400 in her collegiate career. No other Bulldog on the roster has more than 530. The BU sharpshooter has made four 3-pointers in five of Butler's last six games.
 
Strande Continues to Score                                                                 
Caroline Strande scored in double figures 10 times during the 2022-23 season and after scoring 13 points at UConn, she has now scored 10 or more points in 10 of Butler's 11 games this year. Strande scored a career-high 22 points in the win over Chicago State and recorded her first 20-point game with 21 in the victory over Austin Peay.
 
Dawgs' Playing D                                                                                                 
Butler is 7-1 this season when holding their opponent under 70 points. Ohio averages 63 points per game and has only topped 70 points twice.
 
Meulemans For 3!                                                                                               
Jordan Meulemans ranks 16th in the NCAA in made 3-pointers (32), 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (50.8) and 27th in made 3-pointers per game (2.9). Meulemans made 10 3-pointers over the first five games of the season and has made 22 over her last six.
 
2 for 20                                                                                                    
Jordan Meulemans and Caroline Strande became the first Bulldog teammates to score 20 points or more in the same game since Feb. 28, 2020. Meulemans scored a team-high 23 points with five made 3-pointers and Strande shot 8-for-10 from the field to come up with her career-high 22 points. The last Bulldog duo to score 20 each in the same game was Kristen Spolyar and Kat Strong. Spolyar had 28 at St. John's and Strong posted 21.
 
Tied a Team Record                                                                                             
Jordan Meulemans made eight 3-pointers in the win over St. Thomas to match the single-game high in the BIG EAST this season. She ended the contest going 8-for-10 from behind the arc to score a career-high 24 points. Butler made 16 3-pointers as a team, the second-most by a conference team this year. Meulemans was just one 3-pointer shy of tying the single-game BU individual record and the 'Dawgs tied their team record.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
Butler will begin 2024 with a pair of home games against conference competition. They host Georgetown on Jan. 3 at 7 PM and then welcome Seton Hall to Hinkle Fieldhouse for a game on Jan. 6 at 2 PM.