Senior guard Kilyn McGuff leads Butler in points and rebounds this season. Photo by Andrew Buckley.
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
The No. 9 seeded Bulldogs will take on No. 8 St. John’s in the opening round of the Big East women’s basketball tournament.
Here is what you need to know before the Dawgs take on the Red Storm:
Who: Butler vs. St. John’s
When: March 7, 11 a.m.
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena
How to watch: BEDN
McGuff honored
Senior guard Kilyn McGuff leaves a lasting impression on the women’s basketball program. The transfer from Belmont was named to the All-Big East Second Team, the only Bulldog to receive end-of-season honors.
McGuff averaged 12.7 points and eight rebounds per game in the regular season and ranks second on the team in both blocks and steals.
When the season tipped off, McGuff’s impact was a big question mark given the step up in competition between Belmont’s conference — the Missouri Valley — and the Big East. She was projected to be a solid “three-and-D” player for the Dawgs, but McGuff rose to the challenge, especially with key teammates falling to injuries.
McGuff is now the Dawgs’ star player and most experienced starter, making her the key to Butler’s success, especially against St. John’s.
Scouting the Red Storm
St. John’s dominated the lone regular season matchup, taking a 65-43 win at Madison Square Garden. Senior guard Lashae Dwyer led the Johnnies with 21 points, torching Butler with four made three-pointers.
Not only is Dwyer a formidable offensive threat, she is also a pest on defense, averaging more than three steals per game. She will match up against sophomore guard Karsyn Norman, who, like Lashae, stands at just five-foot-six. Lashae uses her smaller frame to her advantage, capitalizing on her quickness and fast hands to cause problems for opposing guards like Norman, who had three turnovers in the teams’ last matchup.
Offensively, the Bulldogs will rely heavily on McGuff as usual, but somebody else will need to step up and provide a scoring spark. First-year guard Lily Carmody and senior forward Sydney Jaynes could both be candidates to do so, as they almost certainly have benefitted from a few days off to rehab their injured ankles.
No matter who it is, having multiple credible scoring threats will be critical if Butler wants to extend its stay in the tournament past day one.
