Badgers no match for Wolverines on road

 

With a 75-55 loss to Michigan (11-13, 4-7), the UW women’s basketball team (8-13, 2-9) extended its losing streak to four games and fell to 10th place in the Big Ten.

Unable to earn a victory in Ann Arbor, the Badgers failed to avenge a 63-60 loss to the Wolverines at the Kohl Center earlier in the season.

“We didn’t battle it and want it like Michigan wanted it this time,” UW head coach Lisa Stone said. “I thought it would be an opportunity for payback, but it just wasn’t that way.”

Wisconsin came out firing, opening a 10-4 lead in the first four minutes of play. After the strong start, Wisconsin suffered a five-minute scoring drought and Michigan capitalized with a 13-0 run to take a 17-10 lead with 11:10 remaining in the first half.

Forward Kjersten Bakke came off the bench to end the Badgers’ scoring drought and reenergize the UW offense. Bakke scored a career-high 10 points and pulled down a career-high nine rebounds, including five offensive boards.

Guard Ashley Josephson knocked down a three-pointer to cut Michigan’s lead to 27-21 late in the first half, but a late run gave the Wolverines a 33-23 halftime lead.

In another strong performance, Josephson led the Badgers with 20 points on 8-18 shooting. The sharpshooter played 38 minutes, leaving the floor for just two minutes of game time.

“I took Ashley aside after the game, [and told her] that she is doing everything I ask her to do,” Stone said. “She comes every day; she plays 40 minutes a game; she steps up to the plate, and she knocks shots down. She can’t do anything else.”

Despite Josephson’s impressive performance, Wisconsin could not overcome the dominant play of Michigan’s Jennifer Smith and Tabitha Pool. Smith recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 boards, shooting 7-17 from the field and 8-13 from the free throw line. Pool scored a game-high 25 points on 11-16 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.

“She is a very fine player,” Stone said of Smith. “Once we sandwiched her, we sandwiched her good in the second half, but things changed, and Tabitha Pool took off.”

With Pool and Smith leading the way, the Wolverines opened a 22 point advantage and cruised to a decisive victory.

In a losing effort, guard Stephanie Rich matched her season high with four three-pointers, scoring 14 points on 5-17 shooting. The Badgers’ floor general rested for just one minute of action, playing an impressive 39 minutes.

After the Badgers turned the ball over 18 times in the loss, Stone stressed her team’s need to tighten up its game.

“We do not take advantage of things that we are capable of handling,” Stone said. “Things that are in our control, we need to do a better job of taking care of.”

 

Compiled from staff reports