After a 64-58 loss to Western Illinois, the UW women’s basketball team (2-2) will travel to South Bend to take on No. 14 Notre Dame (2-3) tonight.

Wisconsin hopes to even the series, entering the game with a 2-3 all-time record against Notre Dame. When the two teams last met in the 2000 season, the Badgers fell 83-56 to the Irish, who were then ranked No. 4 in the nation. Currently ranked No. 14 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll, the Irish are the first ranked opponent the Badgers will face this season.

Both teams enter the game looking to turn things around, as the Fighting Irish look to end a two-game losing skid and the Badgers are coming off a tough loss that extended their home losing streak to two games.

Notre Dame has struggled defensively during their losing slide, surrendering an average of 87.5 points over the stretch. In losses to Michigan State and No. 3 Tennessee, the Fighting Irish were out-scored by an average of 26.5 points.

However, the Irish have displayed a potent offense, averaging 67.2 points per game, nine more than the Badgers. Notre Dame features a balanced attack, with three players averaging double figures in scoring.

Leading the Notre Dame attack is junior Jacquelin Batteast, who leads the Irish in points (16.6 per game) and rebounds (7.4 per game). Batteast posted a team-high 16 points in Notre Dame’s 83-59 loss to Tennessee Sunday.

The Badgers, who have limited opponents to an average of 54 points this season, will look to shut down Batteast and the Irish attack. In four games this season, the Badger defense has not allowed more than 65 points to any opponent.

Offensively, the Badgers hope to capitalize on their height advantage with 6-foot-7 center Lello Gebisa and 6-foot-5 center Emily Ashbaugh matching up against a Notre Dame squad that does not feature a player listed over 6-foot-3 on their roster.

“Height doesn’t mean much unless you can do something with it,” Ashbaugh said. “Often the smaller teams are harder to box out and scrappier on defense.”

Ashbaugh leads the Badgers in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game, and rebounding (7.8 per game). In the Badgers’ recent loss to Western Illinois, foul trouble limited Ashbaugh to 16 minutes of playing time and the Badgers’ inside game struggled. Without its inside leader for much of the game, Wisconsin was out-rebounded 38-32 and allowed 19 offensive rebounds.

However, Ashbaugh’s absence forced the Badgers’ perimeter players to step up, as guard Stephanie Rich posted a career-high eight assists and guard Ashley Josephson recorded a team-high 12 points.

The Badgers will look for another strong performance from Josephson, who has found her stroke over the past few games. In the Western Illinois game, Josephson hit back-to-back threes to keep the Badgers close after the Westerwinds jumped ahead 43-35 early in the second half.

“I think Ashley Josephson’s confidence has really improved, and I hope that she can keep this shooting streak alive and keep it going,” head coach Lisa Stone said. “She has been a go-to player down the stretch and she really wants to win just like the rest of the team.”

A win against heavily favored No. 14 Notre Dame will give the unranked Badgers a tremendous boost after a disappointing loss to Western Illinois.

“I told my team that my boat is leaving for South Bend, jump in it and let’s go after them,” Stone said.