First-year guard Anna Wypych finished the game with 13 points. Photo by Drew Kosmak.
NHU-HAN BUI | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | hbui@butler.edu
The women’s basketball team ended a four-game losing streak with a dominant 62-52 win over Providence. The team moves to 8-10 on the season and 2-6 in Big East play.
The Bulldogs came out the gates swinging on both sides of the ball, holding Providence to two points for most of the first quarter while going on a 13-point run. During that stretch, the Dawgs went 3-3 from beyond the arc.
Butler jumped out to another quick start in the second quarter, but saw their momentum halted as the Friars held them to zero points while going to score eight. Sophomore forward Gabby Wilke snapped the Bulldogs’ drought, and Wilke and first-year guard Anna Wypych went on to score 10 as the Dawgs entered halftime leading 40-23.
Providence was unable to find a groove in the third quarter as well, as the Bulldogs held the Friars to 33.3% shooting and 0% from beyond the arc. Graduate guard Sabou Gueye scored 10 of the team’s 13 points, and was the first player on either team to reach double digits.
Although the Friars attempted to claw back during the fourth, no player was able to generate offense other than Gueye. A late run had Providence within eight points, but Wypych sealed the game with a layup and the Dawgs tightened down to ensure no one scored in the game’s final minute.
The win meant more to the Bulldogs than just an end to a losing streak. Since the win over Indiana State, the Dawgs have not shot over 50% from the field, and have gone under 40% on three-point attempts.
Head coach Austin Parkinson emphasized how much making those shots meant for the team’s morale.
“It was such an important win from the standpoint that we are a really good shooting team in practice, and we have not been able to make shots in the game until tonight,” Parkinson said. “We spent a lot of time the last couple days shooting. The kids got extra shots, and I was really proud of them, because they deserve this. To see the ball go through the hoop was really important for our team.”
Gueye led all players with 22 points, but the Dawgs saw three of their own score double-digits. Redshirt sophomore guard Saniya Jackson and Wypych both had 13 points, while redshirt sophomore forward Mallory Miller followed with 10.
Although Gueye was able to score the bulk of Providence’s points, no other player for the Friars came close to her production.
“She’s a really good player, but the way that we guarded, we kind of eliminated everybody else,” Parkinson said. “The shooter for them, [sophomore guard Payton Dunbar], we felt like she’s a really important key. We gave up one or two threes to her. But other than that, we did a really good job. And we felt if [Dunbar and Gueye] got going, we [would] have some problems. But some of those points by [Gueye] were us literally giving her the ball and her running it up. So in the half court, we did a decent job.”
The defense also played its best game of the year. The Friars were held to just 33.9% shooting while going 17.4% on three-pointers. Butler forced 14 turnovers and was able to score 20 points from them.
While turnovers continued to plague the team — the Bulldogs committed 20 — Parkinson’s squad was able to play a complete game that led to a win over a tough conference rival.
Butler looks to continue this momentum as it travels to face Villanova on Jan. 18 at 2 p.m.
