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INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will host Seton Hall this Saturday at 2 PM. Each team took a tough home loss on Wednesday night and will look to rebound in the lone meeting between the two programs this year.
 
GameDay
Date: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024
Time: 2 PM
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. - Hinkle Fieldhouse
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com – Statbroadcast
Watch: BEDN - FloHoops.com
 
Bulldog Bits
- Rachel Kent needs six more 3-pointers to reach 300 in her collegiate career.
- Kent scored a game-high 22 points and hit as many 3-pointers as Georgetown on Wednesday night (5).
- Kent scored 18 of her 22 points in the first half.
- Caroline Strande has led Butler in rebounding nine times this season. She had nine boards vs. GU.
- Strande ranks sixth in the BIG EAST in rebounding (7.8) and 12th in scoring (15.0).
- Butler grabbed a season-high 17 offensive rebounds to beat GU on the glass 35-27.
- The Bulldogs are 2-0 this year when playing on Saturday.
- Jordan Meulemans has made more 3-pointers this year (36) than all of last year (32) in half the amount of games.
- Meulemans ranks fourth in the BIG EAST and 31st in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage.
- The Bulldogs rank second in the BIG EAST in 3-pointers made per game (8.8).
- Ari Wiggins ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in steals per game (1.9).
- Wiggins has at least one steal in 10 of Butler's 13 games this year.
- The Bulldogs are 6-2 at home this season and have not lost back-to-back games all year.
 
BIG EAST Standings
UConn 3-0, 11-3
Providence 2-0, 8-7
Georgetown 2-1, 12-2
Villanova 2-1, 9-5
St. John's 2-1, 8-7
Marquette 1-2, 12-2
Creighton 1-2, 10-3
Seton Hall 1-2, 9-5
DePaul 1-2, 9-7
Butler 0-2, 8-5
Xavier 0-2, 1-10
 
Scouting Seton Hall                                                                               
The Pirates are 9-5 overall and 1-2 in the BIG EAST after taking a 50-45 loss at Walsh Gym on Wednesday night. The setback to Villanova was SHU's second-straight conference loss and just their second home loss of the season. Azana Baines was responsible for 21 of Seton Hall's 45 points against the Wildcats. Baines ranks ninth in the league in scoring and is one of the best free throw shooters in the BIG EAST connecting on 82 percent of her attempts from the charity stripe. BU will also need to slow down Amari Wright this weekend. The senior leads the conference in assists per game (6.1) and is tied for third in steals per game (2.7). Butler's scouting report will also include 3-point specialist Micah Gray. She has taken more 3-point attempts than any other BIG EAST player this season and ranks third in made triples with 39.
 
All-Time Series                                                                                       
Seton Hall leads Butler in the all-time series 16-6. These two teams split a pair of games during the 2022-23 regular season with each program winning on their home court. The Pirates won 79-45 in New Jersey and the Bulldogs captured a 76-64 win for the home crowd on Senior Day. That victory broke up nine-straight Seton Hall wins.
 
Last Meeting vs. Seton Hall                                                                 
Butler outscored Seton Hall 23-14 in the fourth quarter and ended the game on an 11-0 scoring run to defeat the Pirates 76-64 on Feb. 24, 2023. Six different Bulldogs hit a 3-pointer in the victory with Caroline Strande leading the offense with 19 points. Azana Baines was the bright spot for SHU with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
 
One and Done                                                                                                      
This is the only meeting between Butler and Seton Hall this season. Five of Butler's six wins vs. Seton Hall have been played at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
 
One More Win                                                                                       
Seton Hall Head Coach Anthony Bozzella needs one more win to reach 200 during his tenure at Seton Hall. BU head coach Austin Parkinson is approaching 250 career wins. He heads into Saturday with 243.
 
Handle With Care                                                                                                
Butler will need to take care of the ball on Saturday against Seton Hall. The Pirates lead the BIG EAST in turnovers forced per game (20.0) and are second in the league in both scoring defense (52.8) and steals per game (10.4). The 'Dawgs average 15 turnovers per game and hold opponents to 59 points per contest.
 
Strande vs. Seton Hall                                                                          
Caroline Strande hit a career-high three 3-pointers vs. Seton Hall on Feb. 24, 2023. She matched that effort this fall with three triples in the win over St. Thomas. In her first season at Butler, Strande scored 11 points at Seton Hall and came up with 19 in the rematch at Hinkle Fieldhouse. She didn't miss a 3-pointer vs. the Pirates going 2-for-2 at their place and 3-for-3 at home. This year, Strande has made 14 3-pointers, connecting on 43 percent of her attempts.
 
Rachel is on a Roll                                                                                                
Rachel Kent has led BU in scoring in three-straight games. She has scored in double figures in seven of Butler's last eight games, topping 20 points two times. She scored a season-high 25 points in the win at Wisconsin (12/3) and recently scored a game-high 22 points vs. Georgetown. Kent has made at least four 3-pointers in seven of those eight games and is now tied for the team lead in made 3-pointers (36).
 
Butler For 3!                                                                                                          
Jordan Meulemans and Rachel Kent are two of the top 3-point shooters in the NCAA. Each Bulldog has made 36 3-pointers this season placing them in a tie for fifth place in the conference and 33rd in the nation. Each player averages 2.7 made 3-pointers per game. Meulemans is shooting 45 percent from 3-point range and Kent is close behind at 40.9. There is a long way to go, but each student-athlete is on pace to place their name in the BU record book for most 3-pointers made in a single season.
 
Bounce Back                                                                                                         
Butler's loss to Georgetown marked the first time this season that BU dropped a game when holding a halftime lead (7-1). It was also Butler's first loss in a game decided by five points or less. BU will look to respond on Saturday against a Seton Hall team that has lost back-to-back games by five points.
 
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 against Chicago State on Dec. 10 and Strande scored a career-high 22 points. The last Bulldog duo to score 20 each in the same game prior to this season 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. Meulemans was just one 3-pointer shy of tying the single-game BU individual record and the 'Dawgs tied their team record with 16 made 3-pointers in the victory.
 
Bulldogs Included in BIG EAST Road Trip Schedule                        
The first women's basketball game of the BIG EAST Road Trip will be at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Jan. 21. Hours of pre-game entertainment and activities will be open to students, alumni, and fans.
 
Up Next                                                                                                                  
Butler will head to Nebraska on Wednesday, Jan. 10 for a road game at #21 Creighton. Tip is set for 6 PM Central / 7 PM Eastern.