Marquette University
Butler
WBB Faces Butler on Sunday
12/16/2022 1:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Golden Eagles return to BIG EAST play to host Bulldogs
MILWAUKEE — The Marquette women's basketball team (8-2, 1-1 BIG EAST) returns to BIG EAST play this weekend as it plays host to Butler (5-5, 0-2 BIG EAST) on Sunday, Dec. 18. The Golden Eagles and the Bulldogs will tip-off at 2 p.m. (CT) from the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee. The game will be broadcast by BIG EAST Digital Network on FloHoops with Peter Ferreri (play-by-play) and Michelle Griffin Wenzel (analyst) on the call. Live stats and stream links are available at GoMarquette.com.
In the team's most recent matchup, Marquette took down Loyola Chicago 77-53 on Saturday inside of the Al McGuire Center. Behind a career-high 30-point scoring performance by senior guard Jordan King, the Golden Eagles used their best shooting performance of the season (53.7 percent, 36-of-67) to remain perfect at home. MU split its first two BIG EAST games with a win over Georgetown and a loss to Seton Hall.
The Bulldogs enter the contest with a 5-5 mark on the season, with a 0-2 start to BIG EAST play, losses coming against St. John's and DePaul. Most recently, Butler faced Illinois at home on Sunday, dropping a close 65-63 contest. It is 0-1 in true road games this season.
Butler has been led statistically this year by a pair of IUPUI transfers, as graduate guard/forward Rachel McLimore averages a team-best 12.0 points per contest while junior forward Anna Mortag averages 5.7 rebounds. First-year head coach Austin Parkinson joined Butler in the offseason after a strong stint previously at IUPUI.
Marquette and Butler have met up 27 times in a series which dates back to 1986, the Golden Eagles leading 18-9 with wins in five-straight and 14 of the past 16 meetings. MU posted a 59-45 win last year in Milwaukee, and a 78-48 win in Indianapolis.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• Butler enters Sunday's contest with a 5-5 mark on the season, and an 0-2 record in league play.
• In 2021-22 the Bulldogs went winless in conference play, finishing 0-18 against league opponents and 1-27 overall.
• BU is coming off of a narrow 65-63 loss to Illinois on Sunday at home. Its two BIG EAST games this year have been a 65-57 loss to St. John's and a 78-72 loss to DePaul, both games at home.
• This will mark just the second true road contest (0-1) for Butler this season.
• The team has been led statistically this year by a pair of IUPUI transfers, as graduate guard/forward Rachel McLimore averages a team-best 12.0 points per contest while junior forward Anna Mortag averages 5.7 rebounds. First-year head coach Austin Parkinson joined Butler in the offseason after a strong stint previously at IUPUI.
• The Bulldogs rank 14th nationally in 3-point percentage (.390) and 34th in field goal percentage (.458) this season.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST BUTLER
• Saturday's meeting will be the 28th all-time between Marquette and Butler, a series which dates back to 1986.
• Marquette has the advantage in the all-time series, holding an 18-9 record.
• MU has won five-straight, and 14 of the past 16 meetings.
• The Golden Eagles earned a 59-45 win last year in Milwaukee, and a 78-48 win in Indianapolis.
Last 5 Meetings
DATE LOCATION RESULT SCORE
1/23/22 A W 78-48
12/5/21 H W 59-45
2/10/21 H W 77-48
1/24/21 A W 95-57
2/16/20 H W 76-54
STARTING FIVE
• The Golden Eagles are 41-17 against BIG EAST opponents under Coach Duffy.
• Coach Duffy is off to the best coaching start through four seasons of any coach in program history. She boasts a 74-28 overall mark (.726) at Marquette.
• The Golden Eagles are 62-3 under Coach Duffy when leading at halftime and 45-5 when they turn the ball over the same or fewer times than their opponent.
• MU is 42-4 when scoring more than 70 points under Coach Duffy and 50-5 when shooting more free throws than its opponent.
• In the 102 games of the Coach Duffy era, the Golden Eagles have out-rebounded their opponent 84 times.
KING HONORED BY BIG EAST
• Following a strong individual performance last week in the team's win over Loyola Chicago, Jordan King was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.
• The senior guard went off for a career-high 30-point performance, shooting 13-of-17 from the floor and 3-of-4 from 3-point range in the outing.
• She also chipped in six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in 34 minutes of action.
• This was the sixth weekly honor of her career, and her second BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll appearance of the season.
THE BIG THREE
• While Marquette's depth has been a strength this season, it has also relied on stellar consistency and production from its "big three" of Chloe Marotta, Jordan King and Liza Karlen.
• The trio is one of just five in the nation to each average at least 13.8 points per game.
• They have combined this season to average 43.7 points, 21.2 rebounds and 9.5 assists while all playing at least 31 minutes per contest.
LAST TIME OUT
• Marquette earned a dominant victory at the Al McGuire Center on Saturday, taking down Loyola Chicago 77-53.
• Against the Ramblers, MU used a career-high 30 points from senior guard Jordan King and a season-best team shooting performance of 53.7 percent (36-of-67) from the floor. Freshman guard Emily La Chapell also had a career-scoring high, finishing the game with 12 points to go along with six rebounds off the bench.
• After a fairly even first-half, the Golden Eagles used a 46-25 second half to pull away and secure the victory to remain perfect at home.
1,000-POINT MILESTONE
• During the Dec. 4 game against Seton Hall, senior guard Jordan King scored the 1,000th point of her career.
• She is the 32nd 1,000-point scorer in Marquette program history.
• King has also recorded 397 career assists, recently moving into the program's top 10 all-time. With three more assists, she will become just the eighth player in program history with 1,000 points and 400 assists.
MAROTTA SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST
• In what is her fifth year in the blue and gold, Chloe Marotta has gotten off to a stellar start and is posting by far the best numbers of her career.
• Marotta currently averages career-best marks in points (14.3), rebounds (8.8), assists (3.3), blocks (.8) and steals (1.0) per game, while also leading the league and shooting a career-best 91.7 percent (33-of-36) from the free throw line.
• While Marotta has always been a do-it-all player, her scoring is the category that has taken the most significant jump this season, going from 6.9 points per game last season (a career-best at the time) to 14.3 points per contest this year.
UP NEXT FOR MU
• The Golden Eagles remain at home to close out the non-conference portion of their schedule against Colorado on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 12 p.m. CT.
• The game will be broadcast on FloHoops, with links to the stream and live stats available on GoMarquette.com.
