INDIANAPOLIS - Butler fell to the Villanova Wildcats 67-57 on Wednesday evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse. With the loss Butler slides to 9-14 on the season and 3-10 in BIG EAST action while Villanova improves to 18-5 overall and 11-3 in conference action. 
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BULLDOG HIGHLIGHTS

• McKenna Johnson led a trio of Bulldogs in double figures with a career-high 16 points in the contest on an efficient 6-for-11 (46.9%). Mallory Miller (10) and Lily Zeinstra (11) rounded out the Bulldogs in double figures. 
• Caroline Dotsey and Saniya Jackson led the squad on the glass, pulling down six rebounds apiece. 
• Saniya Jackson paced the offense with four assists. 
• The Dawgs shot 23-for-49 (46.9%) from the floor and shot 4-for-15 (26.7%) from beyond the arc. 

VILLANOVA HIGHLIGHTS

• Jasmine Bascoe led a trio of Wildcats in double figures with 27 points on 10-for-26 shooting performance from the floor. Brynn McCurry (12) and Kennedy Henry (12) rounded out the Wildcats in double figures. 
• Henry led Villanova on the glass, pulling down five rebounds in the contest. 
• Bascoe paced the Wildcat offense, dishing out five helpers. 
• Villanova shot 27-for-64 (42.2%) from the floor and shot 6-for-20 (30%) from beyond the arc. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both sides traded buckets to open the game as the score was even at 10-10 half way through the first quarter. After continuing to trade buckets, Butler took the 19-16 lead into the second quarter after holding Villanova scoreless over the final 2:10 of the quarter. 
• Neither side was able to generate much offense to start the second, as both sides combined for three scores in the first six and a half minutes of the quarter. Butler was able to keep the Villanova offense in check for the remainder of the frame as BU took the 28-24 lead into the half. 
• Johnson started the third quarter hot for Butler, sinking back-to-back buckets for the Dawgs. Both sides continued to go back and forth as Villanova held the slight 39-37 edge at the under-five media timeout. With the help of four Butler turnovers in the final 3:28 of the quarter, Villanova was able to capitalize stringing together a few stops and scores before as the Wildcats took the 48-41 advantage into the final quarter. 
• Villanova started the fourth on a 7-0 run forcing the Dawgs to take a timeout with 7:37 left in the frame. Butler responded by hitting four of its next five shots, forcing Villanova to take a timeout with just over four minutes remaining. Butler was unable to complete the comeback over the final minutes, dropping the contest 67-57 at the final whistle. 

 
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 7 as BU travels to Hartford, Conn. to take on the No. 1 ranked UConn Huskies. The game will be broadcast on FS1 with tip-off scheduled for noon.