Redshirt sophomore forward Mallory Miller led the team with eight rebounds against Northern Kentucky. Photo by Jonathan Wang.
NHU-HAN BUI | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | hbui@butler.edu
After two losses against Columbia and Central Michigan, the women’s basketball team bounced back with a strong victory against Northern Kentucky. Now, the Dawgs seek to build on their win streak and replicate last year’s upset as they face Indiana University.
Here is what you need to know before the Bulldogs take on the Hoosiers:
Who: Butler vs. Indiana
When: Nov. 19, 7 p.m.
Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
How to watch: B1G+
Double trouble
The Jackson sisters — junior guard Nevaeh and redshirt sophomore guard Saniya — are continuing to play a large role for Butler. The twins are putting up identical stats, averaging 9.5 points per game with 11 field goals and three three-pointers made.
Saniya is quickly emerging as a key player for the Bulldogs. The guard is second on the team with 4.8 rebounds and leads with 2.8 steals a game. Nevaeh is chipping in with three defensive rebounds per game and is shooting 14-of-25 in the paint. The duo’s versatility provides the Bulldogs with a huge boost on both sides of the ball.
Scouting Indiana
The Hoosiers enter the contest with a 4-0 record. After dominant wins against Lipscomb and UIC, Indiana’s last two games were decided by less than 10 points. Against Florida State, IU had a late comeback in the fourth quarter that was spearheaded by a 9-0 run from senior guard Shay Ciezki to give the Hoosiers a 76-72 win.
Along with Ciezki, who leads the team with 23 points per game, sophomore forward Zania Socka-Nguemen has been a key player for the Hoosiers. A transfer from UCLA, the forward is averaging 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in her first season under head coach Teri Moren. Socka-Nguemen also brings experience from the U.S. national team, as she was part of a squad that won gold this past summer at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 Women’s World Cup.
In last year’s matchup, Ciezki led the way for Indiana with 11 points, but the guard also committed a team-high five turnovers — an area that is currently plaguing Butler. The Bulldogs are averaging 22 turnovers a game, leading to 19.3 points per game for opponents. If the Dawgs can limit their own mistakes while capitalizing on any the Hoosiers make, they will have an easier time controlling the game.
As Butler enters its final stretch of non-conference games, this will be a good test to see if the team is prepared to handle games against tougher Big East opponents such as UConn and Marquette.
