DePaul University
Butler
No. 23/23 DePaul Runs Past Butler, 102-63
2/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
CHICAGO - These Blue Demons took the court on Sunday afternoon looking to put a stranglehold on the BIG EAST Conference regular-season title race.
Playing with a lot of heart on Valentine's Day plus the added incentive of Senior Day, No. 23/23 DePaul ran past Butler 102-63 at McGrath-Phillips Arena. The victory clinches a tie for the league's regular-season title.
Leading the way were Chanise Jenkins with 17 points and 10 assists which tied a career high and Jessica January with 17 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals.
Ashton Millender tied a career high with 15 points and Tanita Allen finished with 11 points. Megan Podkowa and Jacqui Grant each contributed nine points and eight rebounds as DePaul improved to 21-7, 13-2 in the BIG EAST. Butler fell to 8-17, 3-11.
Seniors Jenkins and Podkowa were honored for their illustrious careers in a postgame ceremony after their final regular-season home game. When Amarah Coleman scored the team's 100th point, it gave the Blue Demons a season-high 30 assists for the game.
"Chanise and Megan are two very talented players and two of the most special people I know," said DePaul coach Doug Bruno. "They are all about the team and are what `DePaulBall' is all about. They are two of the best all-around basketball players I have ever coached in 42 years."
DePaul fell behind 11-4 after the opening tip as Blaire Langlois knocked down three consecutive shots from behind the arc. The home team answered with a 7-0 surge highlighted by Jenkins' three-point shot.
DePaul closed out the first quarter on a 9-2 run with Jenkins making a steal and driving full court for a layup just before the buzzer in securing a 21-17 advantage.
Butler kept up with the Blue Demons until an 8-1 burst led by January and Millender provided a 31-23 lead with 4:17 left in the second quarter. The run was extended to 20-3 with Millender hitting back-to-back threes and Jenkins converting a three-point play. Jenkins followed that with a pretty move in the lane to beat the buzzer and give her team a 45-25 lead at halftime.
Millender finished 3-for-4 from distance, and DePaul forced 21 Bulldog turnovers leading to 31 points.
Scoring the first three baskets of the third quarter extended the Blue Demon run to 28-3. That dominant stretch began back when DePaul led 23-22 early in the second quarter. When it was over, the margin was 51-25.
"We started out slow, but then started getting defensive stops, rebounds, easy baskets in transition and hitting our three-pointers," Podkowa said. "Our offense came from our defensive stops."
Jenkins nodded her head in agreement.
"In that 28-3 run, we did everything coach Bruno has wanted us to do all season long," Jenkins said. "What you saw in that span was the real `DePaulBall' and what happens when we play to our potential."
Maintaining their attack, the Blue Demons went into the fourth quarter leading Butler 73-48. Coleman's pull-up jumper early in the fourth quarter increased the margin to 30 points.
This third consecutive BIG EAST regular-season title will be part of the seniors' legacy.
"We're really happy to leave this imprint," Jenkins said. "It paves the way for the younger players on our team to get the fourth in a row next season."
Podkowa added: "There are not a lot of teams that can do that. Not many teams can say they won three-straight BIG EAST titles. This is pretty special.
"It was great to see how everyone performed on Senior Day. We go into every game not knowing who will step up. We know how good we can be if we're all on, and that's what you saw today."
DePaul finishes up the BIG EAST season with three consecutive road games beginning Friday with a 6 p.m. game at Providence that will be broadcast by the BIG EAST Digital Network.
Notes: DePaul wins at least a share of the BIG EAST Conference Regular Season Title and will be the No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Conference Tournament which will be held at McGrath-Phillips Arena, March 5-8… DePaul joins Connecticut as the only program to win three straight BIG EAST regular season titles… DePaul was the outright Champion in 2014 and shared the title with Seton Hall in 2015… DePaul has won five straight which marks its longest winning streak of the season… longest winning streak since last season when it won eight straight from Feb. 15-March 20)… DePaul's 30 assits are a season-high... Ashton Millender tied a career-high for the second straight game with 15 points… Tatinia Allen reached double-figures for the third time this season… Chanise Jenkins recorded 10 assists for the second time this season and for the eighth time in her career… Jenkins is averaging a team-best 16.8 points, 8.4 assists and a 5.3 assist-to-turnover ratio in her last five games… DePaul improves to 10-0 all-time against Butler.
