The Dawgs have not been able to beat Seton Hall the past two seasons. Photo by Jonathan Wang.
DOROTHY LAKSHMANAMURTHY | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | dlakshmanamurthy@butler.edu
The women’s basketball team seeks to carry the momentum from its Fort Myers Tip-Off performance into its first Big East matchup of the season as the Bulldogs travel to face Seton Hall on Dec. 4.
Here is what you need to know before Butler takes on the Pirates:
Who: Butler vs. Seton Hall
When: Dec. 4, 7 p.m.
Where: Walsh Gymnasium
How to watch: ESPN+
Momentum from Fort Myers
Butler returns from the Fort Myers Tip-Off with encouraging offensive progress. The Bulldogs opened the event with their highest-scoring and most efficient outing of the year, a 92-66 win over Dayton powered by 59.3% shooting, 15 made threes and scoring contributions from 11 players. Sophomore guard Lily Zeinstra led the way with 19 points, while junior forward Caroline Dotsey, redshirt sophomore guard Saniya Jackson and Butler’s bench helped the Dawgs build momentum across all four quarters.
Against Georgia the following day, Butler stayed within reach through three periods before falling 80-54. Zeinstra and Dotsey again led the team with 12 points each, with junior guard Kennedy Langham and redshirt sophomore forward Mallory Miller also reaching double figures.
Through eight games, the Bulldogs are averaging 67.6 points while shooting 45.7% from the field and 35.3% from three. Zeinstra leads the team at 13.9 points per game, with Saniya, junior guard Nevaeh Jackson, Miller and Dotsey all averaging at least 7.8 points.
One area Butler aims to stabilize entering Big East play is turnovers. The Dawgs currently average 18.8 giveaways per game.
Scouting the Pirates
Seton Hall enters the matchup at 4-1 with one of the top statistical offenses in the conference through the early portion of the season. The Pirates score 83.0 points per game while shooting 43.1% from the field and averaging 7.8 made threes.
Junior guard Savannah Catalon has been Seton Hall’s leading scorer at 14.8 points per game and is shooting 47.8% from the floor. Senior forward Mariana Valenzuela adds 13.6 points and a team-best eight rebounds per game on 50.9% shooting.
Seton Hall also brings strong defensive pressure, averaging 11.4 steals per game and forcing opponents into 23.8 turnovers. Those forced errors have translated into significant scoring, as the Pirates average 27.2 points per game off turnovers.
If Butler can carry over its offensive rhythm from Fort Myers and limit mistakes against Seton Hall’s pressure, the Dawgs will give themselves an opportunity to open Big East play on the right foot.
