DePaul University Athletics
Dangerous Butler Up Next for Blue Demons
1/13/2018 12:00:00 AM | DePaul Ball
CHICAGO - The difficult stretch of four games in eight days comes to an end at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the South Loop.
That's when DePaul (13-5, 5-1 in the BIG EAST) will tangle with dangerous Butler (11-7, 3-3) at the Wintrust Arena in a BIG EAST matchup televised by the CBS Sports Network.
So far, the Blue Demons are 3-for-3 in this sequence with a 71-48 victory at Providence last Sunday, Wednesday night's 82-54 triumph at Creighton and Friday night's 79-48 win over Xavier.
In these last three games, coach Doug Bruno's team has outscored its BIG EAST adversaries by more than 27 points per game.
An improving defense has been the calling card. DePaul held Creighton to five points in the third quarter which was its best defensive quarter of the season. The Blue Demons limited both Providence and Xavier to 48 points, second-best to holding Loyola Chicago to 47.
In that lockdown third quarter at Omaha, Neb., Bruno's defenders held the Bluejays to just 2-of-15 shooting (13.3 percent). DePaul kept the home team off the scoreboard for 7:36.
Mart'e Grays has scored in double figures the last six games, which also comprises the BIG EAST season. In league play, she is averaging 16.2 points a game.
Ashton Millender is scoring at a 12.7 clip in the BIG EAST. Kelly Campbell is averaging a double-double of 11.2 points and 10.5 rebounds to go along with nearly seven assists per game.
DePaul's top five long-distance shooters have been lighting it up in conference arenas. Vinisha Sherrod (.667) leads the way followed by Campbell (.480), Grays (.457), Millender and Deja Cage (.455).
That quintet has combined to go 47-of-101 from beyond the arc for an impressive .466 percent.
The Blue Demons lead the nation in three-pointers per game and are second in three-point baskets, attempts and assists. They are fourth in assist-turnover ratio, fifth in assists per game, ninth in scoring offense and No. 13 in turnover margin.
Campbell is third in the country in assist-turnover ratio and No. 12 in assists. Millender is No. 15 in three-pointers and No. 21 in both threes per game and attempts.
DePaul leads the BIG EAST in nine categories including scoring offense, assists, assist-turnover margin, three-pointers and forced turnovers.
Campbell tops the league in assists and assist-turnover ratio and is second in steals and free throw percentage. Chante Stonewall is No. 1 in three-point percentage while Millender is first in three-pointers and threes per game.
Bruno needs six more wins for 700 in his Hall of Fame career.
Butler is coming off a heart-breaking 69-67 loss Friday at Marquette when a traveling call in the waning seconds allowed the Golden Eagles to score the game-winner with less than a second remaining. Kristen Spolyar led the Bulldogs with 22 points while inside force Tori Schickel had 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
Butler has played exceptionally well against the BIG EAST's best. On Jan. 2, the Bulldogs went on the road and knocked off nationally ranked Villanova 76-53. Whitney Jennings leads the team at 17.6 points a game and Schickel is averaing16.8 points and 10.4 rebounds.
