The UW women’s basketball team’s 76-73 win over Iowa State last weekend showed exactly what the Badgers are capable of accomplishing in head coach Lisa Stone’s debut season.

In the first half of that game, the Badgers played a nearly flawless 20 minutes to establish a commanding 41-25 halftime lead. With the exception of steals and defensive rebounds, Wisconsin led in every statistical category, out-playing the Cyclones in the post and on the perimeter.

Demonstrating a balanced attack, the Badgers exploded for 41 points, hitting 6-11 from beyond the 3-point arc. Wisconsin’s defense forced the Cyclones to turn the ball over 14 times, leading to a 20-3 advantage in points off turnovers.

However, in the second half, the Badgers squandered a 16-point lead and let the Cyclones climb back in the game. Wisconsin could not find an answer for Iowa State’s prolific 3-point shooting, and the Cyclones eventually tied the score at 73-73 with 17 seconds remaining in the game.

Facing the possibility of an improbable collapse, Wisconsin showed resiliency and poise, winning the game on its final possession as guard Ashley Josephson converted a three-point play with four seconds on the clock.

In the victory, the Badgers showed they could blow teams away with suffocating defense, dominant inside play and effective outside shooting. The Badgers also showed they are capable of letting a lead slip away with long scoring droughts and defensive breakdowns. Ultimately, the Badgers proved they could respond to adversity and take control with the game on the line.

If the Badgers can play the way they showed they could in the first half, avoid the scoring draughts and defensive breakdowns that plagued them in the second half, and demonstrate the resiliency and poise they showed on the game’s final possession, there is virtually no limit to their success.