Sophomore guard Riley Makalusky scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds against Indiana. Photo by Jada Gangazha.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
Fresh off arguably the program’s biggest win under third-year head coach Austin Parkinson, the women’s basketball team will face another tough test. After their signature win over the Indiana Hoosiers, the Bulldogs will head to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt.
Here is what you need to know before the Dawgs face off with the Commodores:
Who: Butler vs. Vanderbilt
When: Nov. 17, 3:00 p.m.
Where: Memorial Gymnasium
How to watch: SEC Network+
Rematch
Butler and Vanderbilt squared off last season at Hinkle Fieldhouse, in an ugly offensive game, particularly for the Dawgs. Butler put up just 39 points, including an eleven-point first half. Turning the ball over 24 times was a catalyst for the rough performance, as the Bulldogs looked unprepared for the Commodores’ physicality. Butler also scored just 10 paint points to Vanderbilt’s 42.
However, this season’s Dawgs look much different than they did a year ago. Graduate guard Caroline Strande — who had a team-high 12 points against the Commodores — will likely be the only Butler player to start both matchups. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs now have enough depth that senior forward Sydney Jaynes and senior guard Ari Wiggins — who also started last season — are bench players.
The depth should provide Butler with a big lift. In last year’s matchup, just seven players got meaningful minutes and did not have many other reliable substitutes to use. By comparison, Butler went nine players deep against Indiana, with other capable players still available.
Vanderbilt’s tendency to attack with heavy on-ball pressure defensively and play physical basketball makes depth a major key to success against the Commodores.
Scouting the Commodores
Vanderbilt is off to a 3-0 start of its own, looking dominant in the process. The Commodores won their first two games by an average margin of 52 points. Then, in their first road test of the season, they picked up a 62-49 win over South Florida in a game Vanderbilt led from wire to wire.
True to their defensive-minded style, the Commodores have not allowed an opponent to score more than 50 points in a game this season, proving that they’ll provide a challenge for Butler’s multi-faceted offense.
Vanderbilt is led by a pair of young 18.3 point-per-game scorers in sophomore forward Khamil Pierre — who also averages a team-high 11.3 rebounds per game — and first-year guard Mikayla Blakes.
While the Commodores always play physically, Butler does have a height advantage as three of Vanderbilt’s top four scorers are 5’8” or shorter. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs feature a few taller guards, including sophomore Riley Makalusky, senior Kilyn McGuff and first-year Lily Carmody.
Expect Butler to create mismatches with those players, looking to dominate the post on its way to a 4-0 start.
