SPORTS
Badgers prepare for season-opener against Cougars
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by Michael Poppy
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Two exhibition games won by a margin of 48.5 points later and it's finally time for the Wisconsin women's basketball team to tip off the regular season.
Wisconsin opens the regular season at the Kohl Center Friday versus Houston and play at home again on Sunday against Cleveland State.
Head coach Lisa Stone is looking forward to tipping off her third season here at UW and is hoping that this year she can guide the Badgers to the first .500 record under her reign.
"The intensity will certainly rise a bit as we have a lot of games in a short amount of time, but we're healthy right now, our younger players are gaining some maturation, if you will, and we're working on finding combinations," Stone said. "But I'm very pleased with where we're at at this present moment, looking forward to Friday."
Wisconsin played Houston last year for the first time in school history and suffered an 86-61 loss to the Cougars in the Houston Classic.
However, Houston has lost four starters from a team that went 21-9 a year ago, including star center Sancho Lyttle, who was selected fifth overall by the Houston Comets in this year's WNBA Draft.
Nevertheless, Houston head coach Joe Curl has ample replacements this year to provide a competitive game against the Badgers, despite losing an exhibition game to the Everyone's Internet team 67-50.
"They have six or seven newcomers and, typical coach Curl style, they're very, very athletic … very big, athletic, quick, strong, tremendous rebounders," Stone said.
Last season's 25-point margin in the loss to Houston aside, coach Stone still felt they had a chance to beat the Cougars as they were actually leading by one before halftime, but allowed too many trips to the free throw line in the second half.
To ensure a victory this season, defense and rebounding will be crucial.
"Defense will be imperative in finding success, as well as rebounding," Stone said. "We have to rebound, hopefully utilize a lot of different people, but again, Joe [Curl] is a great coach and he'll have his team prepared. It's their opener, our opener. I'm pleased that it's at home, but we'll play a very athletic team, a team that's used to winning, and, again, a team that we're going to have to do a very good job on the boards with."
Houston's team this year is basically a completely different one than what Wisconsin saw last year. Only Shannon Steele, Emily Fryters, Kadi Creel, and Jasmin Moore return from last season's squad.
Junior college transfer Ryan Meyers will most likely be one of the Cougar's biggest threats this season. An athletic guard/forward at 6-foot-1, Meyers has led Houston in scoring in each of their exhibitions games with 16 and 21 points, respectively.
Sunday's game against Cleveland State should be a rather competitive one, as well.
Last year the two teams met at the Kohl Center with the Badgers netting an 87-71 win over the Vikings.
Leading the way for the Vikings is senior point guard Erin Martin, a 5-foot-9 guard with a solid all-around game. She averaged 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Fellow backcourt mate Brittany Korth, a Clinton, Wis., native, is just as much of a threat as Martin, however, much like Wisconsin's one-two punch from the guard position with Jolene Anderson and Janese Banks.
But regardless of the opponent, the Badgers are simply ready to start the 2005-06 season.
"I'm excited about the readiness of our team and they'll be excited for Friday," Stone said. "I mean, it's really go time now. And we try to treat these last games similar, but this is really game time. We have been preparing ourselves and getting some of the kinks out."
One of the goals for the team this year will be to make postseason play, something that the four seniors on the squad have yet to experience in their career.
That goal, according to coach Stone, starts this weekend with Houston and Cleveland State.
"Our basketball team wants to make a statement and improve and end the season in a better position that we've been in the past, particularly our seniors," Stone said "They've not played in postseason and that's a goal of theirs' and they know that we have to do well in non-conference. We have a very formidable foe here on Friday who's the real deal and it's going to take a lot and we'll bring our best."
