Junior forward Sydney Jaynes has started in Butler’s first three games. Photo by Makenna Frias.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | SPORTS REPORTER | sgoldwein@butler.edu
The Bulldogs will look for their third straight home win when they host the Roosevelt University Lakers at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 20.
The Dawgs are coming off a hard fought 53-47 victory over Austin Peay on Saturday, Nov. 18, using a 17-1 run to take the lead and never look back. Butler moved to 2-1 with the win.
The Bulldogs will try to build on their home success with a strong performance against the Lakers.
Here is what you need to know ahead of Butler’s tilt with Roosevelt.
Who: Butler vs Roosevelt
When: Saturday, Nov. 20, 11 a.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: YouTube
Height over heart?
Through Butler’s first three games, the team with more size has won each time.
Iowa State, led by the 6’5” Isnelle Natabou, dominated Butler in rebounds and points in the paint. Then, Butler turned around and capitalized on their own height advantages against smaller Detroit Mercy and Austin Peay teams.
The Bulldogs’ primary bigs are junior Sydney Jaynes, who starts, as well as sophomore Lilly Stoddard and first-year Cristen Carter, who both come off the bench.
Carter was particularly impressive against Austin Peay, logging eight points and four rebounds despite playing just 10 minutes.
Carter has exceeded expectations all season, and continuing to do so would provide a big lift for the Bulldogs, especially as Jaynes has struggled at times.
Scouting the Lakers
Roosevelt University is a private school with campuses in both Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois. The Lakers are a provisional member of the Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) for the 2023-24 season, before they will become full-time members beginning in the 2024-25 season. The GLIAC is comprised of teams from Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Before their move to the GLIAC, Roosevelt competed at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
The Lakers are 1-4 so far in their inaugural Division II season and are coming off a 75-61 loss to Northern Michigan on Nov. 15.
Roosevelt should not present much of a challenge for a Butler team that has faced much stiffer competition already this season, but the Dawgs should not take them for granted either. The Lakers have scored an average of 61.4 points per game, making them a higher scoring offense than Butler at 58.7.
They also move the ball well, averaging 14.4 assists per game, compared to just 9.7 for the Bulldogs. That should force Butler to stay disciplined and consistent on the defensive end.
The matchup should serve as a confidence booster for Butler before they head out to California for two games in the Tiger Turkey Tip-off.
