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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Butler starting post players Melanie Thornton and Lade Akande both recorded double-doubles Wednesday, and the Bulldogs unleashed a barrage of 10 three-point field goals, as Butler snapped Evansville’s 11-game home-court winning streak with a 70-52 victory over the Purple Aces at Roberts Stadium in Evansville.
Thornton recorded a game-high 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Akande pitched in 10 points and 11 boards to help power the Butler attack. The Bulldogs also went 10-for-21 from beyond the arc in out-scoring Evansville by 12 points from long range in the 18-point victory. Butler entered the game shooting just 20.0 percent from three-point range this year, going 19-for-95 through the first five games of the year.
“Credit Butler,” said UE head coach Misty Murphy. “They wanted it more tonight. They were there for every loose ball, they made every extra pass, and they did every little thing that they needed to tonight to win the game.
“Maybe this game will serve as a wake-up call for us. Our focus the last two days in practice has not been there, and it was not there again tonight. We need to get back to doing the little things right, both in practice and in games. There is obviously still a lot of basketball left to be played, but we need to start tightening things up as a team, because conference play is right around the corner.”
Butler used its three-point shooting to jump to a 34-27 halftime advantage, hitting five triples in the half, including three in the final five minutes to expand on a one-point lead. Reserves Susan Lester and Candace Jones hit back-to-back three-pointers to begin the half-ending barrage, as Butler scored 14 points in the final 4:38 of the half to turn a 20-19 game into a 34-27 halftime cushion.
A three-pointer by freshman point guard Devin Brierly would push the Butler lead to double-figures to open the second half, and it would remain that way until UE used a quick 7-0 run with under nine minutes to play to trim the deficit to just six points, 49-43, with 7:13 to play. But, after UE’s Ashlee Barrett nailed a three from the left corner to trim the Butler lead to 49-43, Jones answered back with back-to-back three-point baskets of her own to push the lead back to double-figures. UE would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Jones and Brierly joined Thornton and Akande in double-figures with 13 points apiece on the strength of four three-point field goals each. For Evansville, junior guard Amy Gallagher led the way with 13 points, which equaled a career-high. It marked the fourth-straight double-figure game for Gallagher, who had recorded four career double-figure scoring games entering her junior season. Senior center Shannon Novosel joined her in double-figures with 11 points, but as a team, UE shot just 24.2 percent from the floor.
With the victory, Butler improves to 2-4 on the season, while Evansville slips to 4-2. The Purple Aces will return to the court on Friday night, as UE travels to Muncie, Indiana to battle the Ball State Cardinals (2-2). Tip-off is set for 5:00 p.m. central time and Friday’s game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
