Palm trees, warm water, and sandy beaches make you think of:
(a) spring break, (b) summer vacation, or (c) Thanksgiving break.
While most students at Madison would definitely answer either (a) or (b), the correct answer for the UW women’s basketball team, at least this season, is (c), as Badgerball heads to the Virgin Islands to participate in the Paradise Jam Tournament this weekend.
“Paradise is the word,” senior guard Tamara Moore said. “I’m really looking forward to it, [but] I don’t know if I want it to start snowing before we leave or after we leave, because if it starts before we leave, at least I know there’s snow when we’re coming back.”
Senior guard Kyle Black agreed with her teammate.
“I call all my friends and ask them what they’re doing for
Thanksgiving and kind of brag a little bit that I’m going to be laying on the beach while hopefully it will be snowing here,” she said.
Nice weather aside, the team knows that the real reason they are there is to play basketball, and they’ll have to be prepared to face some stiff competition.
The Badgers open with a game against Texas, with the winner facing the winner and the loser facing the loser of the Florida-USC game. The Longhorns posted a 20-13 record last season, so the first game for the Badgers will be tough.
The Gators posted an even better record last season, at 24-6.
Florida, currently ranked at No. 13, opened their season with an 84-65 win over Oakland, as sophomore Vanessa Hayden poured in 36 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Texas has yet to open regular season play, while USC lost on Sunday to No. 2 Tennessee, 106-66. Sophomore Aisha Hollans led the Trojans with 26 points.
They also lost their first regular season game of the year to St. Joseph’s, 81-72.
After beating No. 17 Washington by 20 points on Sunday, Wisconsin can only go up if successful this weekend in the Virgin Islands. And while the trip is a nice benefit, the Badger players know that winning this weekend is first and foremost.
“I think [not getting distracted by the setting] is going to be the true test of how well we do,” Black said. “Going to a place like that, where the atmosphere is so relaxed, playing two great teams; that will be the true test to see how well we can do in a tournament-type situation.”
Forward Jessie Stomski agreed.
“I’m excited to play all of those teams,” Stomski added. “The Virgin Islands are great, but we’re really down there to play basketball.”
And in case they start getting cocky about the warm weather in the Caribbean, the players must remember this: they do have to come back to Madison.
