Women's Basketball Championship - Quarterfinals (Mar. 1)

March 1, 2006

(#4) Butler 58, (#5) Detroit 45
Indianapolis, Ind. - Despite its second-worst shooting performance of the season, Butler used a tough defensive effort and converted on 82 percent of its free-throw attempts to down Detroit, 58-45, in a Horizon League Tournament quarterfinal contest Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Freshman Lade Akande led the Bulldogs with 24 points, as fourth-seeded Butler advances to the semifinals and improves its record to 15-13. Detroit, the tournament's fifth seed, ends its season at 11-17.

Butler shot just 33 percent from the field and hit only three-of-17 three-point attempts, but the Bulldogs' defense held Detroit to 32-percent accuracy. Detroit's field-goal percentage was a season-low for a Butler opponent. Despite hitting only 14 field goals, the Bulldogs went 27-of-33 from the free throw line, including 17-of-18 after the intermission.

Akande led the Bulldogs with 24 points (nine-of-16), while grabbing five rebounds. Freshman Candyce Brown had a game-high nine rebounds for Butler to go along with six points, six assists and one block in 35 minutes of action. Jackie Closser was the only other Bulldog in double figures with 10 points.

No Detroit player reached double figures, as Katie Solner and Kandace Evans each had nine points. Detroit's four seniors in the starting line-up - Solner, Lindsey Pasquinzo, Caitie Goddard and Joanna Cooper - were held to combined 9-of-35 (.257) shooting from the field. The Titans' 45 points were 10 points fewer than the previous low for a Butler opponent this season (55 by Youngstown State, Dec. 29).

Both teams particularly struggled from the field in the first half, as Detroit's full-court press disrupted Butler's rhythm and the Bulldogs' match-up zone contested every Titan attempt. Neither team could break the 30-percent shooting barrier in the first 20 minutes, as Butler used 10 free throws and Detroit had 10 offensive rebounds to head to the locker room with the Bulldogs leading 24-20.

Butler never relinquished the lead after the break, but the game was far closer than the 13-point final margin. An Evans fast-break lay-up with 9:08 to play pulled the Titans within two at 34-32 before Butler went on a 13-3 run over the next seven minutes to put the game out of reach at 47-35. The run was highlighted by an Ellen Hamilton three-pointer - Butler's only trey of the second half - with 3:27 to play to give the Bulldogs a 10-point advantage.

Butler's season-low shooting performance came Jan. 4 at IUPUI, when the Bulldogs hit just .277 from the field. Butler's three three-pointers are the fewest since Feb. 5, 2005, when the team had three against Cleveland State. The Bulldogs entered the game as the nation's third-most prolific three-point shooting team at 7.89 bombs per game.

Box Score

2006 Horizon League Women's Basketball Championship Page