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Game Notes WBB Taylor
The first women’s basketball contest of the 2024-25 season will be the Butler Bulldogs hosting the Taylor Trojans at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The exhibition will start at 7 p.m. on Friday night. Live Stats will be available, but there will be no streaming option for the game.
Game Day
Date: Friday, November 1, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. – Hinkle Fieldhouse
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com (Statbroadcast)
Bulldog Bits
– Butler was predicted to finish eighth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
– Caroline Strande was selected for the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
– Strande was a Second Team All-BIG EAST pick after the 2023-24 season.
– Strande was the only player in Butler history to lead in points, rebounds, and assists in a single season in 2023-24.
– Strande averaged 15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in her second season.
– Riley Makalusky was the fifth Bulldog to make the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
– Makalusky led the BIG EAST in 3-point shooting percentage.
– Butler had four players shoot 40% or higher from 3-point range.
– Butler led the BIG EAST and ranked fifth in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage.
– The Bulldogs set a new team record with 266 3-pointers in 2023-24.
– BU tied the single-game 3-point record by making 16 in a win over St. Thomas.
– Kilyn McGuff brings postseason experience to the team.
– Butler made the WNIT field last year for the first time since 2019.
– Butler set a new attendance record with over 20,000 fans attending games last year.
– BU will host an Elementary School Kids’ Day Game against Chicago State on Nov. 6.
BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
UConn – 100 (10 first-place votes)
Creighton – 91 (1)
Providence – 71
St. John’s – 67
Georgetown – 66
Villanova – 56
Seton Hall – 51
Butler – 46
DePaul – 24
Marquette – 23
Xavier – 10
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year – Paige Bueckers, UConn, R-Sr., G
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year – Sarah Strong, UConn, Fr., F
BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Caroline Strande, Butler, Gr., G
KK Arnold, UConn, So., G
Azzi Fudd, UConn, R-Jr., G
Ashlynn Shade, UConn, So., G
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Sr., G
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Sr., G/F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Gr., G
Olivia Olsen, Providence, Sr., F
Grace Efosa, Providence, Gr., G
Ber’Nyah Mayo, St. John’s, R-Sr., G
Honorable Mention
Kaitlyn Chen, UConn, Gr.,
Jorie Allen, DePaul, Gr., F
Savannah Catalon, Seton Hall, So., G
Austin Parkinson Reaches 250 Career Wins
Austin Parkinson has guided Butler to 26 wins over his first two seasons at the helm. The Bulldog opening round WNIT victory last year moved Parkinson’s career win total to 250. BU has notched six conference wins in each season with Parkinson on the sideline. The ‘Dawgs also went 9-9 at home last year, winning three more than the previous season.
Bulldogs on the Big Stage
The BIG EAST matchup between Butler and St. John’s set for Feb. 16 will be played at Madison Square Garden. The 2024-25 Bulldogs will be the first-ever Butler women’s basketball team to play inside “The World’s Most Famous Arena”. Bulldog fans can also count on seeing their team play on FS1 this year. Butler will face Marquette in Milwaukee on Jan. 4 at 4 p.m. Each BU contest against UConn will air on SNY.
Butler vs. the Big Ten
The Bulldogs will host Indiana and Wisconsin at Hinkle Fieldhouse this year. The Hoosiers will be in town on Wednesday, Nov. 13 and the Badgers will be in Indy Dec. 11. BU notched a 59-51 win at the Kohl Center last year. They have not hosted the Hoosiers since 2021-22.
Signature BIG EAST Wins
The Bulldogs defeated St. John’s, Villanova, and DePaul in February over 19 days. It was the first time in program history for BU to defeat all three of those opponents in the same season.
2024-25 Roster Breakdown
The 2024-25 roster features one graduate, three seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, and four freshmen, with nearly half of the players from Indiana. The ‘Dawgs also have players from Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Australia.
Welcome Back
The Bulldogs return 80% of their scoring from last year’s team, with seven of the top eight leading scorers returning.
‘Dawgs From Distance
The Bulldogs led the BIG EAST Conference and ranked fifth in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage, setting a new single-season school record with 266 3-pointers. They averaged 8.3 made 3-pointers per game. Individual performances from Jordan Meulemans and Riley Makalusky were standout moments last year.
Bulldogs Behind the Arc
Riley Makalusky and Caroline Strande made over 40% of their 3-point attempts last year, with Makalusky leading the BIG EAST in 3-point shooting percentage.
Caroline Closing in on 1,000 Points
Caroline Strande scored 484 points last year, bringing her career total to 759. She aims to become the 25th player in program history to score 1,000+ points before leaving campus.
1,000 Point Party
Sydney Jaynes and Kilyn McGuff are also closing in on 1,000 career points. Jaynes has 690 points, and McGuff recorded 723 points while at Belmont.
Carter Crashes the Glass
Cristen Carter had a strong rookie season at BU, recording more offensive rebounds than defensive ones. She started in 16 games and shot 45% from the field.
Welcome to Campus
Nevena Markovic joins the Butler coaching staff this season, bringing experience as a former player and coach.
Gulf Coast Showcase
The Bulldogs will participate in the Gulf Coast Showcase along with seven other teams. The showcase will take place from Friday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Dec. 1 at Hertz Arena.
WBIT Finals Returns to Hinkle Fieldhouse in 2025
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