INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Wisconsin overcame a bad first half and got its running game going in the second period to defeat Northwestern 60-58 in the first round of the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis this evening. The Badgers improve to 18-10, matching last year’s final season record, and will meet third-seed Minnesota Friday night at about 8:30 EST. Northwestern finishes its season with a record of 4-24.
After seven first-half lead changes and two tie scores, however, Northwestern looked liked it would break its forty-game conference losing streak and took a 27-26 halftime lead. In a very sloppy first half, Wisconsin committed 15 turnovers, while the Wildcats had 17 miscues of their own.
Leading scorer Jessie Stomski, recovering from a concussion suffered in last weekend’s Ohio State game, had only three first-half points and was 0-4 from the floor in the opening frame. Stomski shook off her first-half struggles and got UW going to open the final period with an 18-5 run. Stomski scored three baskets during the surge that pushed the UW lead to 44-32.
The scrappy Wildcats refused to give up, however, and responded with an 8-0 run of their own to narrow the Wisconsin margin to four points, 44-40, with eight minutes left in the game.
Shooting guard Kyle Black finally found her range and nailed two three-point baskets, to put Wisconsin up 53-45. Turnovers and mental errors, though, opened the door for Northwestern, and NU capitalized with a 10-2 run, powered by three three-point baskets by Samantha McComb. McComb’s final trey pulled Northwestern to within one point, 58-57, with one minute showing on the clock.
Northwestern had a chance to take the lead, but senior Tamara Moore picked McComb’s pocket, and the Badgers played keep-away until the Wildcats fouled Kristi Seeger with ten seconds left to play. Seeger converted one of two free-throw attempts to give Wisconsin the two-point lead (60-58), and a last-second lay-up by McComb fell just short to give Wisconsin the hard-fought victory.
“It was a win; it was in the ‘W column,” said Wisconsin Head Coach Jane Albright. “We played in a lot of spurts: we played some good bask’etball, and then we made some errors. Our rebounding [45-27 advantage for Wisconsin] was what kept us in it. It was an exceptional effort on the boards.”
Moore led the Badgers with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, and Stomski chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds. Black finished with eight points, and forwards Emily Ashbaugh and Ebba Gebisa each had seven points.
Suzanne Morrison paced the Wildcats with 15 points, while McComb contributed 14 in the upset bid. Freshman center Sarah Kwasinski was the final Wildcat in double figures with 10 points.
17th-ranked Minnesota has defeated the Badgers twice this season, most recently by two points, 76-74, in Minnesota in late February, and UW will be looking to avenge these defeats and advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.
