Looking to energize the struggling UW women’s basketball team, head coach Lisa Stone has introduced two new players to the starting lineup over the past three games.

“I think there are times in any season, in particular midseason, when you need to shake some things up, try to jump start people and get them going,” Stone said.

Prior to Wisconsin’s 66-57 win over Illinois, Stone moved forward Jordan Wilson into the starting lineup after Wilson came off the bench to record 10 points and six rebounds in the Badgers’ 60-59 loss to Penn State. Wilson made the most of her second start of the year, pulling down nine rebounds against Illinois’ Cindy Dallas, the second-leading rebounder in the Big Ten (9.7 rebounds per game).

“Jordan stepped up big in the starting lineup and just contributed right away,” guard Stephanie Rich said.

Wilson made her second consecutive start against the Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons, but she failed to score and recorded just two rebounds in eight minutes of play. Though Wilson did not make an impact against the Mastodons, forward Kjersten Bakke came off the bench to pull down five offensive rebounds and score six points in 22 minutes.

Bakke’s performance earned her a starting nod in the Badgers’ most recent contest against Iowa Jan. 18. In her first start of the season, Bakke pulled down six offensive rebounds in 19 minutes of play.

“Kjersten Bakke brings her lunch pail to work every day,” Stone said. “She is ready at all times, whether she plays a minute or she starts or she doesn’t play. She is always into the game. Her attitude, her work ethic and her intensity have given her that starting nod. She is a great example for our team. Hopefully by starting her, the other players will take on that attitude and that type of behavior. Those are the messages we are trying to send.”

Ashbaugh set to return

After sitting the bench the past three games, senior captain Emily Ashbaugh may return to the starting lineup this week after posting six points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes in the Badgers’ 66-46 victory over Iowa.

“Emily is coming back,” Stone said. “We don’t have time. The season is winding down with 11 games to go. We have to get things started now.”

After starting the first 12 games of the season, Ashbaugh has come off the bench in the past three contests, as Wilson and Bakke moved into the starting lineup. Ashbaugh handled her reserved role effectively, averaging eight points and seven rebounds coming off the bench.

“Emily has taken a very mature handling of it,” Stone said. “She and I have talked a lot. I think you’re going to see her back in the lineup soon. It’s not a punishment for her. It’s the fact that other people were playing better. I think Emily has handled it tremendously, and I look for this to be a really big and good week for Emily.”

For the season, Ashbaugh is the Badgers’ second-leading rebounder (6.3 rebounds per game) and third-leading scorer (10.2 points per game).

In the Badgers’ 75-59 win over IPFW, guard Ashley Josephson set a new career high with 20 points. Josephson exposed the Mastodons’ weak perimeter defense, shooting 8-11 from the field and knocking down 2-3 from beyond the 3-point arc.

“She was in a zone, in a rhythm,” Stone said of Josephson.

Josephson currently leads the Badgers in scoring with 11.5 points per game and provides Wisconsin’s strongest perimeter threat, shooting 39 percent from 3-point range.

Rich on tear

Over the past two games, guard Stephanie Rich, who leads the Big Ten in assists (6.67 per game), has taken her game to a new level. In the Badgers’ blowout victory over IPFW, Rich recorded her first double-double with 12 points and 12 assists. Rich turned in another strong performance against Iowa, narrowly missing a second consecutive double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds.

“Steph [Rich] is capable of doing a lot of things, and the more we can get out of Steph the better, because when she realizes how good she can be and how good she can make our team, it’s going to help all of us,” Stone said. “Steph is playing strong and with a lot of confidence, and I look forward to her to continue to put up big numbers and lead this team down the stretch.”