Cristen Carter recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in 14 minutes of playing time. Photo courtesy of Butler Athletics.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
With the new month comes a new season of women’s basketball for the Bulldogs. Butler made its return in style with a dominant 99-48 exhibition victory over Taylor University.
Head coach Austin Parkinson’s opening lineup featured four returning starters — graduate guard Caroline Strande and the sophomore trio of Karsyn Norman, Riley Makalusky and Cristen Carter — with Belmont transfer Kilyn McGuff filling the remaining vacancy.
“[McGuff] is a really important player for us,” Parkinson said. “She’s really good defensively, she can score in a lot of ways and I think Bulldog fans are going to fall in love with watching her play.”
Butler jumped out to an early lead by starting the game on a 12-0 scoring run and never looked back. The Dawgs used a balanced scoring attack and persistent defense to quickly extend their lead.
Parkinson used his bench early and often, including a host of first-years who all got on the board with their first points as Bulldogs. Australian-born guard Lily Carmody was the standout rookie, tallying 17 points on the night. Forward Jocelyn Land and guard Lily Zeinstra scored 11 and eight, respectively.
Parkinson was pleased with his first-years’ performances, including Carmody’s.
“Our entire freshman class looked really good,” Parkinson said. “[Carmody] can get downhill and drive the ball. She’s active and I think she’s going to be an impact player for us.”
The Dawgs put an emphasis on scoring at the rim against the Trojans, especially with three-pointers not falling consistently. Establishing the post did work consistently, though, as Butler held a whopping 66-12 advantage in paint points.
Carter was the primary catalyst inside, recording a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double in just 14 minutes of playing time. The sophomore also had a team-high four assists. After winning the starting job midway through last season, Carter is expected to settle in nicely as the leader of the center rotation.
“[Carter] played really hard, that’s the big thing,” Parkinson said. “We have three centers that can all play. They as a group can really wear out the other team. But [Carter] was really efficient tonight.”
Carter was responsible for much of Butler’s halfcourt offense, but scoring in transition was also a focal point, with Strande and Makalusky leading the charge. The pair of guards combined to score 30 points, and helped the Dawgs get out and run.
Butler’s multi-faceted offensive arsenal and pesky defense were too much for the Trojans, allowing the Dawgs to coast to victory.
Now, with the exhibition out of the way, the Bulldogs turn their attention to their first regular season test. Chicago State will come to town on Nov. 6 for the Dawgs’ season opener.
