Butler’s women’s basketball team huddles up before a game. The Bulldogs posted their best nonconference record since joining the Big East. Collegian file photo.
CHRIS BROWN | STAFF REPORTER | cbbrown@butler.edu
The Butler University women’s basketball team finished nonconference play with a 60-51 road victory over Indiana State University on Dec. 21. The Bulldogs are now 8-4 after winning their fourth straight game.
The Bulldogs got off to a strong start to begin the game, going on a 6-0 scoring run in the first six minutes and limiting the Sycamores to just 19 percent shooting from the field in the first quarter. After a total of two converted 3-pointers in the first quarter, Butler and Indiana State combined for seven in the second quarter, with back-to-back threes from Butler giving the Bulldogs a 30-27 halftime lead.
The two teams remained close for much of the third quarter, with the Bulldogs outscoring the Sycamores by two points. But Butler would pull away further in the final ten minutes with an 18-point fourth quarter.
Junior center Tori Schickel, redshirt junior guard Whitney Jennings, and sophomore guard Kristen Spolyar combined to score 52 of the team’s 60 points. Schickel tallied a game-high 23 points along with five rebounds and four blocks. Despite the strong performance, Schickel’s streak of leading Butler in rebounds was snapped at 43 consecutive games, as graduate student guard Iman Lathan collected eight rebounds.
Tori Schickel with a game-high 23 points as Butler knocks off Indiana State 60-51 pic.twitter.com/NppMEe1bmb
— Butler W Basketball (@ButlerUWBB) December 21, 2017
Jennings totaled 16 points and five rebounds, while Spolyar picked up 13 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Bulldogs shot just over 40 percent from the field for the game, compared to roughly 32 percent from the Sycamores. Butler made nearly half of their points from inside the paint, while Indiana State was limited more to the perimeter, taking more than double Butler’s number of shots from beyond the arc.
After posting their best non-conference record since joining the Big East prior to the 2013-14 season, the Bulldogs will begin conference play at home against Xavier University on Dec. 29.
