Women’s basketball takes on Xavier: What you need to know

Karsyn Norman has averaged 8.5 points and 4.5 assists over the last two games. Photo by Jonathan Wang. 

DAVID JACOBS | SPORTS CO-EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu 

Riding the wave of two consecutive double-digit conference victories, the women’s basketball team will travel to Cincinnati to play their biggest conference rival, Xavier, on Jan. 18. 

Here is what you need to know before Butler takes on the Musketeers. 

Who: Butler vs. Xavier

When: Jan. 18, 2 p.m.

Where: Cintas Center 

How to watch: BEDN 

An update on Caroline Strande 

The Bulldogs have been without all-conference graduate guard Caroline Strande for the past four games after she re-injured herself in her first game back against Seton Hall on Dec. 29 from a previous injury suffered against Wisconsin on Dec. 11. 

With a 2-2 record in the past four games, the Dawgs will now be without Strande for the rest of the season as it has been confirmed she suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Pirates. Strande now joins junior guard Jordan Meulemans on the bench who suffered a similar knee injury before the season and has been out all year long. 

With first-year guards Lily Zeinstra and Lily Carmody stepping up into bigger playing roles due to the injuries, the first-year duo have stayed composed, averaging a combined 14.2 points over the last four outings. Add in the help of sophomore Karsyn Norman and senior Ari Wiggins — as well as the always-reliable senior Kilyn McGuff — and the backcourt will be able to stay afloat for the rest of the season. 

Scouting the Musketeers 

Coming off five straight seasons with single-digit wins and a 2023-24 campaign that saw the Muskies go 1-27, Xavier is off to a 5-12 start to the season with some very peculiar results. 

With a narrow 65-60 loss to DePaul  — who beat the Bulldogs 66-43 — being the poster child game for how volatile this Xavier team can be. Yet, they also have received 20-point losses at the hands of Creighton, Georgetown, St. John’s and a disastrous 54-point loss to UConn. Will the Dawgs be able to join the group of teams beating Xavier by 20 points, let the Musketeers stay in the game like DePaul and Providence or be the lone conference team to lose to Xavier? 

While a Saturday matinee against a 5-12 team typically does not have much pressure to it, if the Dawgs can go to Cincinnati and dominate it will be a continued sign of positive progression for the program under Coach Austin Parkinson. 

The Musketeers are paced by first-year guard Meri Kanerva with just over 10 points per game as the team as a whole pours in just 53 points per game on 39% from the field and 18.5 turnovers per game. 

With Xavier holding minimal offensive firepower, their close games against DePaul and Providence have relied on inefficient shootings from its adversaries to keep the games close. If the Dawgs can play clean basketball and get the ball in the bucket, it should be a third consecutive Bulldog victory.

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