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Bulldogs Host League-Leading UW-Green Bay On Thursday
Jan. 24, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format
Game #19
Tip-Off: Butler welcomes first-place UW-Green Bay to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Thursday (Jan. 25) when the Bulldogs take on the Phoenix beginning at 7:00 p.m. Butler, third in the Horizon League standings, meets with UW-Green Bay for the 33rd time, with the Phoenix holding a 25-7 record in the all-time series. Four of the Bulldogs' wins have occurred in Hinkle Fieldhouse, with the last one coming in 1999. Butler Basketball on the Web: Cory Schnurbusch serves as the play-by-play voice of the Butler women's basketball team for the 2006-07 season. The broadcasts feature live game action on the web at www.ButlerSports.com and are offered for free. Butler also has streaming video available for all home and Horizon League contests during the year. Previewing The Bulldogs: Butler (7-11, 4-2 Horizon League) continues to improve statistically after a slow start to the season, claiming wins in five of its last eight games. The Bulldogs have used the three-pointer as a large part of their scoring, with nearly 35 percent (135-of-390) of their field goals coming from downtown and their 7.5 treys per game ranking 14th in the NCAA D-I. Senior guards Jackie Closser (13.3 points per game) and Ellen Hamilton (8.9 ppg) have each eclipsed 1,000 points in their careers this season and rank in the top 10 in the Horizon League in three pointers per game. Sophomore center Lade Akande adds a strong inside presence, averaging 13.1 ppg and a team-high 5.0 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Tara Miller has provided an offensive boost with 10.2 ppg in the last nine games, while junior forward Cassie Freeman adds a long-range threat from the post position with a team-high .417 three-point percentage. Candyce Brown and Candace Jones have each added depth on the perimeter, while forwards Candace Bain, Susan Lester and Mel Thornton are the top post options off the bench. Head coach Beth Couture (314-194) is in her fifth season with the Bulldogs.
IPFW Claims Non-Conference Decision From Butler: Freshman Susan Lester tallied her second double-double of her career and senior Jackie Closser tied her season-high point total, but the Bulldogs were unable to quell a strong offensive output by IPFW as the Mastodons topped Butler, 82-75, at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center on Jan. 20. The Bulldogs played comeback for the second-straight contest, rallying from an eight-point second-half deficit to take a two-point advantage with four minutes left in regulation, but IPFW's Ashley Johnson and Johnna Lewis-Carlisle combined for 50 points and carried the Mastodons down the stretch for the win. Scholar Athlete: After performing at an exceptional level both athletically and academically, Jackie Closser was named the Horizon League's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Jan. 23). Closser scored a team-high 17 points, including a 12-of-12 mark from the free-throw line, at Detroit on Jan. 18 before notching 19 points at IPFW on Jan. 20. The elementary education major also touts a 3.616 GPA and was named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District V Team. National Attention: The Bulldogs are currently found in the NCAA Division-I Top-50 in three categories. As a team, Butler ranks 14th in D-I with 7.5 three-pointers made per game (135-of-397). The Bulldogs have also yielded only 15.5 turnovers per game, the 39th-lowest mark in the nation. Additionally, senior guard Jackie Closser has been one of the NCAA's top free throw shooters, converting 60-of-69 for an 87.0 percent efficiency and a 26th-place tie in the national rankings. A New Horizon: The start of the Horizon League schedule has been a welcomed change for the Bulldogs, and it shows in their numbers. In the six conference games this season, Butler is out-scoring its opponents by 6.0 points per game (69.8 to 63.8). The figures in the 12 non-conference match-ups, however, were far less impressive, as the Bulldogs were out-scored by 9.5 points per game (63.8 to 73.2). The Tara Miller Factor: Things have notably improved for the Bulldogs since sophomore guard Tara Miller stepped onto the floor. In Butler's past nine games since Miller's arrival in the lineup, the Bulldogs are averaging over 14 points per game more than in the first nine (72.9 to 58.7) and are holding opponents to over six points per game fewer (66.9 to 73.3). Miller has helped the cause since becoming eligible on Dec. 18 after transferring from Indiana last fall, averaging 10.2 points per game, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals. Lester Makes The Most Of Her Minutes: Freshman Susan Lester has been one of the Bulldogs' strongest contributors off the bench. She has scored 122 points in 17 games this year despite only playing in 254 minutes on the year for an average of 19.2 points for every 40 minutes played. The 6-2 freshman is sixth on the team in scoring with 7.2 points per game and has registered two double-doubles. Moving On Up: After eclipsing 1,000 points in their careers this season, senior guards Jackie Closser and Ellen Hamilton continue to move up the Butler all-time scoring list. Closser currently touts 1,129 points in her career and is now 12th in the Bulldog record books after padding Nikki Anderson (1,128). Meanwhile, Hamilton ranks 15th with 1,045 and requires 36 points to move pass Angela Cotton (1,080) for 14th. Closser became the 17th player in school history to reach 1,000 points at Louisville on Dec. 18, while Hamilton became number 18 at Cleveland State on Dec. 28. Triple Threat: The Bulldogs have been nearly unstoppable from three-point range this season. Butler is second in the Horizon League and 14th in the NCAA with 7.5 three-pointers made per game while ranking third in the league with a .340 three-point percentage. The Bulldogs have averaged even more in league games and are tied for second with 8.0 per game. Closser And Hamilton Lead the Way: Senior guards Jackie Closser and Ellen Hamilton have led the way for the Bulldogs from downtown this season. Closser leads the team and is tied for second in the Horizon League with 2.2 makes per game, while Hamilton has hit 1.8 per game for eighth in the conference. Accuracy Counts: Cassie Freeman has made the most of her attempts from long distance. Freeman leads the team and is third in the Horizon League with a .417 three-point percentage coming on 25-of-60 shooting. Additionally, she is the only post player listed among the league's top-15 in the category. Jones, Miller and Lester: No, it's not a law firm; it's just an example of how many other options the Bulldogs have for pulling the trigger from three. Sophomore guard Candace Jones has hit 7-of-19 from three for a .368 shooting percentage, while sophomore guard Tara Miller has netted 18-of-48 (.375) in her first nine games with the team. Meanwhile, forward Susan Lester has added long range ability from the post position with 10 treys of her own. Akande Brings It From The Paint: It's not all about shooting from long range for the Bulldogs, as sophomore Lade Akande can attest. The 6-1 center is second on the team in scoring with 13.1 points per game despite not taking a single shot from beyond the arc this year. In fact, the Robinson, Ill. native has yet to shoot for three in 44 career games. She currently leads the team and is eighth in the Horizon League with a .439 field goal percentage. ...And She Does It In Conference Play: Akande has stepped up her game even further in Horizon League play. She is tied for fourth in the league with 16.0 points per game and is seventh with a .486 shooting percentage from the field. She has also pulled in 7.0 rebounds per league game, the fourth-highest total, and has posted a pair of double-doubles. Keeping it Going: With three triples at IPFW on Jan. 20, Jackie Closser extended her streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 46 in a row. She is currently 39-of-124 for three (31.5 percent) and leads the team with 13.3 points per game. Crime Prevention: Opponents have had a rather difficult time attempting to pick the pockets of the Butler players this season. The Bulldogs have yielded 15.5 turnovers per game this year, the second-fewest in the Horizon League and 39th-fewest in the nation. Butler also ranks third in the league in assists-to-turnover ratio at 0.9. Butler's six turnovers against Air Force on Nov. 22 is also the lowest single-game total in the Horizon League this season. Taking Advantage of Charity: It's not as if Jackie Closser is asking to go to the free throw line, but, when she does, she makes opponents pay. She is currently tied for the league lead in free-throw efficiency, netting 60 of her 69 attempts for a .870 average. In fact, Closser has missed only one shot in Horizon League play this season, hitting 31-of-32 for a .969 percentage. Her mark includes a perfect 12-of-12 effort from the line at Detroit on Jan. 18. Minute Minder: Jackie Closser must really enjoy time-outs, because she doesn't get too many other opportunities to catch her breath. The senior guard has played the full 40 minutes in five games this season and has played fewer than 35 minutes only three times. She currently leads the team and the Horizon League with 36.9 minutes per game. ...And It Could Be The Most Ever: Jackie Closser has spent a lot of time on the court this season, but she could end up spending more time on the floor than anyone else in Butler history. Closser has played 3,267 minutes in her career, the fifth-most all-time, and needs 341 minutes to pass Mary Majewski (3,607) for the most in school history. With 10 regular season games and at least one Horizon League Tournament game remaining, she will need to average just under 32 minutes per game to eclipse the mark. Hamilton Is Right Behind: Ellen Hamilton has been a staple on the floor for the Bulldogs alongside Closser and is also approaching rare figures in terms of minutes played. The senior guard currently touts 2,812 minutes in her career and ranks ninth on the all-time list. A Little Bit Of Help: Jackie Closser has been extremely helpful to the Bulldogs on offense this season and during her career. The senior guard ranks third in the Horizon League with 3.9 assists per game and is fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.4. She also touts 390 assists in her career, the fifth-most in school history. Fourth place is a ways off, however, as Barb Skinner dished 509 from 1980-83. The school record of 584 was set by Melissa Kilgore from 1985-88. ...And A Big Help All At Once: Closser's 11 assists against Bradley on Nov. 17 were a career-high for the 5-5 guard and is a Horizon League season-high. She also finished with 14 points in the game for the only points-assists double-double in the Horizon League this year. Feeling A Little Rejected: You really couldn't blame Air Force if they felt a little intimidated by the Bulldogs in their game on Nov. 22. That's because Butler notched 11 blocks in the contest, tied for the highest single-game total in the Horizon League this season. Six players contributed at least once, with junior Cassie Freeman touting a career-best four. Since then, only Detroit has registered 11, coming against Youngstown State on Jan. 13. Butler Inks Quartet For 2007: High school stand-outs Azjah Bass, Terra Burns, Chloe Hamilton and Jenny Ostrom have all signed national letters of intent to attend Butler and play basketball beginning in the fall of 2007. All four have earned all-state accolades and are either approaching or have surpassed 1,000 points in their careers. Lending A Helping Hand: The Butler women's basketball team took time out of their busy schedule on Nov. 4 to assist at the Special Olympics Area 8 Bowling Championships at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis. Members of the team and coaching staff helped out as lane assistants, runners and scorers for the event and presented the awards to the winners. Special Olympics Indiana provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for persons eight years of age and older with intellectual disabilities. At The Buzzer: The Bulldogs host UW-Milwaukee on Saturday (Jan. 27) for a 2:00 p.m. contest at Hinkle Fieldhouse. |
