Behind a career-high 20 points and a game-high seven rebounds from Ebba Gebisa, Wisconsin dominated the paint against Northwestern and won its second road game of the year, defeating the Wildcats 66-49 in Evanston. The win gives the Badgers a 3-5 Big Ten record and improves UW to 5-14 overall. Northwestern drops to 1-8 and 6-14.

Forward Emily Ashbaugh complemented Gebisa down low and chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds. Both post players converted at least 70 percent of their attempts, and Gebisa and Ashbaugh combined to shoot 15-21 from the floor The Badger front line led the way as Wisconsin outscored NU 34-12 in the paint during the game.

“Ebba was our leading scorer and rebounder, and Emily played a great game,” analyzed Wisconsin head coach Jane Albright. “Our post defense was exceptional,” she concluded.

Despite her strong inside play, Gebisa got the ball rolling from beyond the three-point arc. She put the Badgers on the board with back-to-back three-point baskets in the opening minutes to give UW a slim 6-5 lead. Northwestern tied the score at 8-8 with 15 minutes left to play, but Gebisa’s early perimeter offense had opened up the inside game for Wisconsin.

The Badgers took control with a 10-0 run, powered by six points from Gebisa and Ashbaugh, to push their advantage to 18-8 with 11:10 showing on the clock. Wisconsin kept pressure on the Wildcats on both ends of the court for the rest of the half. The Badgers made 50 percent of their field-goal attempts in the opening frame while holding NU to only 29 percent shooting. Wisconsin cruised into the locker room with a 34-18 lead.

Northwestern threatened in the second half, taking advantage of UW fouls to cut the lead to single digits, 50-43, with 4:54 remaining on the clock. Northwestern made 7-8 from the charity stripe in the second stanza to narrow the gap.

Wisconsin responded as it had in the first half, however, with an offensive spurt led by its post players. Ashbaugh and Gebisa combined to score three consecutive baskets to fuel an 8-0 run that pushed the UW lead to 58-43 and put the game away. Northwestern could not get any closer the rest of the way, as Wisconsin recorded the 66-49 victory.

Stephanie Rich tallied 19 points, including a near-perfect 9-10 from the free-throw line. Wisconsin secured the win without the services of starting point guard Ashley Josephson who was sidelined with an injury. Filling in for Josephson, Shawna Nichols grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists and recorded a steal in 26 minutes of action.

After the game, Ebba Gebisa praised the Badgers’ hard work, saying, “I think the whole team did a great job of starting strong and playing consistently strong basketball for the entire game.”

Samantha McComb led the Wildcats with 14 points, and center Sarah Kawsinksi added 11 points. Mellisa Culver chipped in with nine points and five rebounds.