SPORTS
Streaking Badgers still alive in Big Ten
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Also by Mitch Goza:
- Wisconsin dominates Northwestern from start (January 28, 2008)
- Zastrow posts career night (January 25, 2008)
- Women's hoops takes aim at ending losing ways (January 24, 2008)
- Badgers shoot down Phoenix with 81-58 win (December 12, 2007)
- Ward stays hot, scores 14 (December 10, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Women's hoops takes aim at ending losing ways (January 24, 2008)
- Penn State alone at the top (February 26, 2003)
- Penn State and Ohio State battle for top spot in league standings (January 29, 2003)
- Badgers looking to steal one on road (February 19, 2004)
- Basketball pulls off overtime win (February 7, 2002)
by Mitch Goza
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
With consecutive Big Ten conference wins this past week, the women’s basketball team has finally showed they can compete within the conference and are stronger than their 3-6 league record suggests.
Last
Thursday, prior to tip-off against the Penn State Lady Lions, the Badgers were
coming out of a tough overtime loss to Ohio State, the conference leader.
Determined to salvage the most out of the remaining games, Wisconsin notched two
wins in four days at home, winning by an average of 28 points. Contributing to
the Badger success lately and throughout the season is sophomore starting guard
Rae Lin D’Alie. Most recently, against Northwestern, D’Alie shot nearly 50
percent and dished out four assists, even grabbing a pair of steals.
“I
visit with Rae Lin the day before every game. She’s our point guard; she’s our
decision maker,” head coach Lisa Stone said. “Whether she’s shooting the
basketball or handling the basketball, running the team is huge for us. When
she has a confident and leadership demeanor, it really helps us.”
Unpredictable
finish awaits conference
Staring
at an abysmal 1-6 and a 10th place standing in a conference in which the
Badgers were picked to place second during the preseason, the chance at two-straight
home wins was the make-or-break point of having tournament hopes. With the two
victories however, Wisconsin is currently a half game out of ninth place and
just two games back from cracking into the top tier of the conference. Coaches
across the Big Ten agree: The parity in the league this year makes games
unpredictable.
“I
think the sky is the limit for us in the Big Ten,” Stone said. “As you start to
look at us forging forward and building some momentum here, this is a big week
for us.”
Wisconsin
is halfway done with their Big Ten schedule, with 10 games remaining. In the
near future, they travel to Bloomington, Indiana for a tough challenge — winning
in a building where the Badgers are 2-24.
With
a game at Penn State a few days later, the road durability of the Badgers will
be tested, as the team is winless on the road this season in Big Ten play.
Stone evaluated their road woes, realizing offense, over defense, will be the
key for their first road win.
“I
think finding confidence on the offensive end on the road may be more important
than it is at home,” Stone said. “I think when you’re at home, you defend. When
you’re on the road, you’ve got to find some confidence in scoring and keep that
defense at a high level.”
Seniors
hit home stretch
Regarding
the entirety of the season, Stone has had to watch her team underachieve
against the teams of the Big Ten. Not unfamiliar with losing, Stone handles the
emotions as well as she can, thanks to the support of her family and close
friends.
“It’s
been hard, it’s been difficult, but you surround yourself with good people,”
Stone said. “I love practice; I love this team. And the fact that I still
believe in them makes the stress go away.”
Jolene
Anderson — recently honored for her gold-medal performance for team U.S.A. — and
the other seniors have led the team from the start with their performances on
the court and with their attitudes in practices.
“I
want to send Jolene, Janese [Banks] and Danielle [Ward] out with a trip to the
NCAA tournament. I want that for them,” Stone said. “I’ve talked with [the
seniors] and with 10 games to play, there’s still room to get the things done
that we want to get done. I just think it’s a special year with a special
group.”
The
three starting seniors have half of a season left to achieve a winning record
and a bid into the NCAA tournament, an expectation from day one.
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