What you need to know: Bulldogs head to Hartford for #6 UConn

The last time Butler beat a ranked opponent was March 1, 2021 against DePaul. Photo by Jonathan Wang. 

DAVID JACOBS | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu 

As if a challenging four-game losing streak and a 2-8 start to conference play were not enough for a young Bulldogs team, the injury-riddled squad will be in Hartford, CT on Feb. 2 to take on sixth-ranked UConn

Here is what you need to know before Butler takes on the Huskies: 

Who: Butler vs. UConn

When: Feb. 2, 1 p.m.

Where: XL Center  

How to watch: SNY 

Learning from mistakes

It has been 411 days since the Dawgs last played the Huskies — when Butler opened up conference play with an 88-62 loss to the reigning national runner-ups. In the eventual beatdown, the Bulldogs stood tall and held a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter and had a six-point lead midway through the second quarter. 

Then, the Huskies blitzed the Bulldogs to the tune of a 22-5 run to close out the first half, putting any upset chances to rest before things got out of hand. 

To beat the best, you must play like the best, which means the Dawgs need to step up their game. They cannot be near their game average of 18 turnovers and must be above their shooting average of 42% from the field to stay competitive against such a daunting opponent. 

Celebratory Cause 

Regardless of the outcome of the game, there still may be cause for celebration as senior guard Kilyn McGuff is just 11 points away from 1,000 points for her career. An impressive milestone, McGuff has scored 266 of her career points this season with the Dawgs — with the other 724 coming from her time at Belmont. 

Scouting the Huskies

After coming off of a national runner-up bid last season, the Huskies are even better this season. 

On a 10-game win streak and 11-0 in the conference play — with an average margin of victory of 32 points — the only blemishes on UConn’s record are against no. 3 Notre Dame and no. 4 USC

Led by National Player of the Year candidate and this year’s presumed first-overall WNBA draft pick in graduate guard Paige Bueckers with 19 points per game, the Dawgs must also worry about first-year forward Sarah Strong pouring in 17 points and eight rebounds per game. 

Not to mention a supporting cast and bench filled with players that would be superstars on just about any other team in the country — this is a truly loaded roster. 

At the end of the day, UConn beat Seton Hall by 60 and Xavier by 54 — who both have beaten the Dawgs on their current losing streak. 

If Butler does not play its best game of the season, things may quickly get ugly in this one. 

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