In a game that featured seven ties and nine lead changes, it was freshman guard Jolene Anderson’s 3-pointer in the final minute that gave Wisconsin (4-4) its first lead in the second half. From there, the Badgers held on for the 79-76 upset of visiting UW-Green Bay (6-2).

“We hung in there against a tremendously well-coached and talented basketball team,” UW head coach Lisa Stone said. “(It was) a great team effort, and I’m very proud of our players.”

With the win, the Badgers now have their record back at .500, and Stone’s squad sports a 4-0 mark at the Kohl Center.

Early on, though, it looked like the Fighting Phoenix would run away with the game as they built a 13-6 lead off a Tiffany Mor inside basket with 14:42 remaining in the first half.

The Badgers battled back and tied the game at 13-13 as Annie Nelson hit a jumper in the lane. From there on, it was back and forth as Green Bay was able to extend the lead only to see the Badgers close the gap each time.

With just over three ticks left on the clock, Anderson scored on a put-back after Danielle Ward’s desperation jumper, putting Wisconsin within two points at the half.

“We never were down; we stayed positive; we rallied the troops early; the momentum at the end of the half, Jolene’s tip-in at the half; that just builds momentum,” Stone said.

Wisconsin came out flat to start the second half, and UW-Green Bay took advantage. With 16:41 remaining in the game, Green Bay’s Mary Kulenkamp knocked the ball loose from Rich and fed Mor with a bullet pass, and then Abby Scharlow nailed back-to-back 3’s to give the Phoenix their biggest lead at 55-45 with the clock still showing 15:36.

Once again, the Badgers fought back as Ashley Josephson and Stephanie Rich both drilled 3-pointers and, after a series of traded baskets, Anderson hit a driving layup around two Phoenix defenders to put the Badgers within 59-55 with 11:20 remaining. Green Bay tried to finish off the Badgers with a series of runs as Mor and Scharlow found the seams in the Badger defense to propel Green Bay to a 76-69 lead with just 3:22 remaining. But the Phoenix would not score again as the Badgers mounted a 10-0 run to end the game.

Guard Janese Banks nailed a 3 and then found Jordan Wilson, who scored on a turnaround spin move to put the Badgers within 76-74 with 1:43 left. A Green Bay turnover allowed for Stone to draw up a play for Wisconsin to tie the game at 76. Rich then quickly found Anderson, who sank her third 3-pointer of the day to give Wisconsin its first second-half lead, 77-76, with just over a minute to go.

The Badgers still had to stop the Phoenix one last time. Scharlow tried to drive through the Wisconsin defense, but Rich and Wilson converged on her and forced a turnover, which led to a Green Bay foul.

Wilson calmly sank two free throws with 4.7 seconds remaining, and Green Bay was forced to throw up a desperation shot that failed to draw iron, giving the Badgers a thrilling come-from-behind win.

“It was [a] gut check for our team, we answered the call,” Stone said. “Every game is the biggest game of the year … I say it a lot, and it’s the same old, same old, but it’s the truth. That’s how you have to play every game, and our team will take that lesson from today.”

Anderson carried the Badgers with a career-high 29 points, and Wilson added 13 points and nine rebounds.

“It’s not a loud 29 points; she gets her shots off,” Nelson said of Anderson’s career-scoring outburst. “But she’s quiet in there when she gets the rebounds, and she puts it back up.”

Rich also had 11 points, including three 3-pointers and a game-high four blocks. Nelson also notched a career-high by pulling down 11 rebounds.

The Badgers had no answer inside for Mor, who led the Phoenix with 24 points and nine boards. Scharlow scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half and added a game-high six assists.

The loss was a tough one to swallow for UW-Green Bay and head coach Kevin Borseth, who came into the week just one spot out of the top 25, but has now fallen to two straight Big Ten opponents after losing at home against Minnesota Wednesday.

“It really wasn’t meant to be,” Borseth said. “This was meant for Wisconsin.”