The Bulldogs (6-2) will play the Broncos (7-1) in the third round game of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Sunday evening. Tip on FloCollege.com is set for 5 p.m.
 
Game Day
Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM EST
Location: Estero, Fla. - Hertz Arena
Live Stats: GulfCoastShowcase.com
Watch: FloCollege.com
 
Bulldog Bits
- Butler recorded six wins during the month of November for the first time in program history.
- Butler had never played Santa Clara, Texas or Boise State before entering this tournament.
- Caroline Strande led Butler in scoring for the fifth time this season vs. Texas with 14 points.
- Strande shot 62.5 percent vs. the Longhorns (5-8)and went 2-for-2 from 3-point range.
- Strande ranks third among all BIG EAST players in made 3-pointers (17).
- Strande reached 300 made field goals in the setback vs. Texas and needs just eight more 3-pointers to reach 100 in her career.
- Nine more made free throws will move Strande's career total to 200.
- Strande ranks eighth in the BIG EAST in points per game with her 15.5 scoring average.
- Lily Zeinstra played a career-high 22 minutes vs. Texas and ended the game with seven points.
- Zeinstra, Lily Carmody and Ari Wiggins all went 3-for-4 from the free throw line in their last game.
- Carmody had a team-high two steals keeping her streak alive. The freshman has at least one steal in every game this year.
- Carmody ranks second in the conference in total steals (21) and fourth in steals per game (2.6).
- Carmody scored in double figures for the third time this season giving BU 11 off the bench vs. Texas.
- Riley Makalusky was the third Bulldog in double figures vs. the Longhorns. She had 11 on 4-of-7 shooting.
- Butler leads the BIG EAST in bench points per game (29.9).
- Cristen Carter leads the league in blocked shots (13) and is fifth in blocks per game (1.6).
- The Bulldogs lead the league in free throw attempts (20.3) and free throws made (14.0) per game.
 
Scouting Boise State                                                                         
The Broncos tasted defeat for the first time this season on Saturday with an 82-47 setback to #12 West Virginia. Elodie Lalotte and Teryn Gardner were the top two scorers in the game for Boise State with 11 and 10 points respectively. Head Coach Gordy Presnell has a team that leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring margin, bench points per game, and blocks per game. Abby Muse is the league leader in blocks and ranks seventh in the country with 24 on the season. Mary Kay Naro sets up the offense and is currently ranked third in assist to turnover ratio. Another member of the BU scouting report is 3-point threat Natalie Pasco. She has the best percentage among all Mountain West players from 3-point range, shooting it at 40.5 percent. Pasco has made 17 3-pointers on the year, averaging over two makes per contest.
 
All-Time Series                                                                                                   
This is the first meeting between Butler and Boise State.
 
Bracket Breakdown                                                                            
The 2024 Women's Gulf Coast Showcase championship game will see a ranked match up as No. 5/4 Texas faces No. 12/10 West Virginia at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at Hertz Arena.  Illinois State and Boise State also claimed wins on day two and will face each other in the fifth place game at 1:30 p.m. Play wraps up on Sunday, Dec. 1 with High Point facing Santa Clara in the 11 a.m. game at Hertz Arena. Illinois State will square off against New Mexico State at 1:30 p.m. Boise State will face Butler at 5 p.m. for third place. No. 5/4 Texas and No. 12/10 West Virginia will play for the Gulf Coast Showcase championship at 7:30 p.m.
 
Gulf Coast Showcase History                                                                       
Previous Gulf Coast Showcase champions include Iowa (2023), Michigan (2022), Iowa State (2021), Gonzaga (2019) and Texas (2018). The first tournament was played in 2013 and the UConn Huskies won it all in 2014. The only Indiana-based team to win the tournament crown was Notre Dame (2017).