First-year guard Lily Carmody has averaged nearly two steals per game this season. Photo by Jonathan Wang.
DAVID JACOBS | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu
For the first time in nearly a month, the Bulldogs are on a winning streak and have a perfect opportunity to keep the streak alive against St. John’s on Feb. 16.
Here is what you need to know:
Who: Butler vs. St. John’s
When: February 16, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: BEDN
Similar paths
With this matchup being the first and only game between the two teams, each team’s path to reach this point of the season has been eerily similar.
Both teams came out strong in non-conference play, with the Dawgs going 10-3, boasting quality wins over Indiana and Boise State. On the other hand, the Red Storm went 10-1 with a good win against a strong Fairfield squad.
Then, conference play began with both teams combining for a 7-20 record to date. However, both teams have suffered at least five single-digit losses showing each team is a little bit better than the record shows.
Scouting the Red Storm
St. John’s has been paced by guards senior Lashae Dwyer and graduate Ber’Nyah Mayo all season long to the tune of 12.7 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.
Both guards stand at 5’6”, giving the Dawgs a significant height advantage with 5’11” first-year guards Lily Carmody and Lily Zeinstra as well as 6’0” graduate guard Kilyn McGuff locking down the perimeter all season long.
Where the Red Storm will be able to take advantage of the Dawgs is in the turnover battle, as the Storm gives up the ball just 13 times a game compared to 18 times per game for the Dawgs.
With Dwyer and Mayo as a driving force for the turnovers with a combined four steals a game, the pressure will be on Carmody to continue playing clean basketball. She recently had her first career game with zero turnovers against Marquette on Feb. 9 and has noticeably cleaned up her game as of late.
As long as the Dawgs can win the turnover battle and at least meet their season average of 42.7% from the field, a third win in a row could be in their future.
