Head coach Austin Parkinson has led the Dawgs to its first postseason run since the 2018-19 season. Photo by Grace Hensley
DAVID JACOBS | STAFF REPORTER | drjacobs@butler.edu
Coming off one of their best performances of the year in a 75-63 stomping of Bowling Green to open the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), the Dawgs continue their postseason run March 25 against Purdue.
Here is everything you will need to know prior to the tip-off against the Boilermakers.
Who: Butler vs. Purdue
When: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: YouTube
Scouting Purdue
Sitting at an underwhelming 13-18 record, the Boilermakers have had an odd season to say the least.
Early in the non-conference slate, they picked up a dominating 95-57 victory over a phenomenal Southern Indiana squad. Outside the early win over the Screaming Eagles, nothing particularly stands out from their season as they went 5-13 in conference play.
To beat the Boilermakers and keep the season alive, Butler will need to stop the effort of graduate guard Abbey Ellis and take advantage of the team’s lackluster perimeter defense.
Ellis pours in nearly 15 points a game for Purdue and they are 6-2 when she scores at least 19 points, but 7-16 when she falls short of that mark.
As for their perimeter defense, giving up a 35% shooting clip on the season, the Dawgs should be eager to exploit that with their 39% three point shooting rate as a team.
Importance of postseason success
Although it is not the nationally recognized and coveted 64-team NCAA tournament, the WNIT still provides valuable postseason experience for a rather young Butler squad.
With seven of the top eight point scorers returning for the Bulldogs, each additional game together will pay out its dividends next season as Butler hopes to continue to improve under the reign of head coach Austin Parkinson.
Parkinson, who took over a Butler squad that went 1-27 in 2021, can get the Dawgs to a .500 final record for the first time since 2019 with two more wins in the WNIT.
Whether the coveted .500 record is obtained or not, it is clear that the program is heading in the right direction after a couple seasons of turmoil and misery prior to Parkinson’s arrival.
