Redshirt sophomore guard Saniya Jackson had 19 points in her first game in two years. Photo by Drew Kosmak.
NHU-HAN BUI | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | hbui@butler.edu
Following an exhibition win against Taylor, the women’s basketball team starts its regular season campaign with a home match against Wright State.
Here is what you need to know:
Who: Butler vs. Wright State
When: Nov. 3, 11 a.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: ESPN+
Newcomers’ impact
First-year guard Addison Baxter and redshirt sophomore guard Saniya Jackson both shined for the Bulldogs against Taylor, with Jackson playing her first competitive game in two years due to injury.
Baxter nearly recorded a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Jackson scored 19 points in her 23 minutes of playing time.
Additionally, every player who stepped on the court for the Dawgs made it onto the scoresheet, with six players reaching double digits.
Scouting the Raiders
Wright State is coming off a 10-22 campaign that saw it finish eighth in the Horizon League. The Raiders retained nine players over the offseason, including senior guard Claire Henson, who was second in scoring last year. Along with 9.8 points per game, Henson also contributed 5.6 rebounds per game and was second in three-point percentage.
Head coach Kari Hoffman brought in four new faces — two transfers and two first-years — to bolster her squad, including first-year guard Elaina Rager. Rager broke her high school’s single-season scoring record as a freshman before going on to break it again the following year, and the guard reached 2,000 career points in February of 2024.
Wright State saw no preseason action, so expect Butler to control the game quickly. Head coach Austin Parkinson tested out different defensive rotations in the first half against Taylor, but the Dawgs ramped up their defensive intensity in the latter half of the game. Now that the squad has shaken the offseason rust off, expect to see a strong showing on both sides of the ball from Butler.
