Sophomore guard Lily Zeinstra is pacing the Bulldogs’ offense with 64 assists on the season. Photo by Drew Kosmak.
NHU-HAN BUI | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | hbui@butler.edu
The women’s basketball team returns home after a close 63-59 loss at Xavier to host Villanova. Head coach Austin Parkinson’s squad is hoping to snap its two-game losing streak before the Dawgs head back on the road to meet No. 1 UConn.
Here is what you need to know before the Bulldogs host the Wildcats:
Who: Butler vs. Villanova
When: Feb. 4, 7 p.m.
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse
How to watch: ESPN+
Early bird gets the worm
Slow starts have doomed the Dawgs, as the team often finds its form too late in the game to claw itself out of the hole dug early in the game.
Against Marquette, the Bulldogs were held to 33.3% shooting from the field and made 25% of their three-point attempts in the first half, resulting in a 32-19 halftime deficit. Although Butler made 64.7% of its field goals in the fourth quarter, which resulted in 27 points, the Dawgs still fell by four points to the Golden Eagles.
This trend carried over to the game at Xavier as well, as the team only scored a meager five points in the first quarter. Although the Dawgs clawed back in the second quarter, the Musketeers already built an 11-point lead.
If the Bulldogs want to keep winning, it starts with making sure that they have the energy to come out of the gates swinging and maintain that momentum.
Scouting Villanova
Villanova comes to Hinkle sitting at 17-5 on the season and 10-3 in Big East play — good for second in the conference.
Sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe is the dominant force behind Villanova’s offense, averaging 17.5 points per game. Along with her scoring abilities, Bascoe also paces the offense with 105 assists on the season.
Junior forward Brynn McCurry is the other player averaging double-digit points for the Wildcats, with 11.5 points per game. McCurry leads the team on the glass as well, averaging 5.6 rebounds per game.
In the teams’ first meeting this season, the Dawgs fell 73-65 in a game that saw six players reach double-digit points, with two scoring at least 20. Redshirt sophomore forward Mallory Miller broke out on offense for Butler, leading all players with 25 points.
Although the Bulldogs’ defense allowed four players to score double-digit points, they were able to hold Villanova to shooting 43.5% from the field and 21.1% from beyond the arc. On the other side of the ball, Butler’s offense broke through the Wildcats’ defense, enjoying its best shooting game of the year. The team shot 60.5% from the field and went 4-of-7 on three-point attempts.
The Dawgs will be seeking to replicate that shooting success, but this time making sure they come away with the win.
