The Wisconsin women’s basketball team (8-14, 2-10) has been struggling all season to find a way to close out games and come away with wins, leaving them presently next to the bottom of the Big Ten conference. While wins have been hard to come by, the team’s tremendous effort has managed to shine through in every game. One player whose efforts on the court have been nothing short of spectacular is sophomore forward Jordan Wilson.

Before the start of the season, Wilson wasn’t sure what would be expected of her because of the coaching change that brought head coach Lisa Stone to Madison. She was uncertain about her role on the team.

“It just was the fear of the unknown,” Wilson said. “I heard great things about coach Stone, and she was very optimistic about what we could do. I had little doubts and normal fears, but I’m very happy I got a chance to play for her.”

Now, several months later, Wilson has emerged as a player the coaching staff and team can count on to contribute and give them crucial minutes from the number four position. In Thursday’s heartbreaking loss at home to Iowa, the Naperville, Ill. native tied a career-high with 15 points. Against Northwestern, she notched her first 15-point effort and, earlier this season in the championship game of the Miami Tournament, Wilson recorded her first double double as a Badger, scoring 13 points and pulling down 15 boards.

Her performance garnered tournament MVP honors. A few games later she would earn her first collegiate start against nationally ranked Notre Dame. Wilson has assumed a starting role seven times since then and has started five of the last six games.

Whether it is as a starter or coming off the bench, Wilson gives the Badgers an extra spark of energy that, at times during a game, the team lacks.

Wilson is no stranger to success when it comes to basketball. At Benet Academy, she finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer. She was named a Nike all-American, an Illinois all-star MVP, and a member of numerous all-state teams.

While Wilson has racked up more personal accolades at UW, she is used to having her team implement her success into a winning record. In high school she finished her career with a 101-26 record.

So far at UW she has been forced to deal with rebuilding years. The women’s program has put up a mediocre record of 15-35 in her two years. Wilson remains optimistic, though; she thinks that the best is yet to come in her career at UW, as six new recruits will step foot on the Kohl center next fall.

“They’re definitely very talented and athletic players, who will bring a lot more speed to our game and quickness on defense,” Wilson said.

The main scoring threat in her high school days, averaging nearly 17 points per game, Wilson has been asked to lead the Badgers in a different way.

“I know when I’m going in there, [coach Stone] needs rebounds, and she needs rebounds out of me, and that’s my number one priority going in,” Wilson said.

That is not to say Wilson is complacent on the offensive end.

“With offensive rebounding comes points,” Wilson said.

While working in the paint, Wilson has displayed a number of post moves on the offensive end, including one that could be deemed her signature move — a left-handed baby-hook shot.

“That’s my main patent move that I always was [shooting]: the left-handed baby-hook, and coaches yelled at me to use my right hand more,” Wilson said. “Which is weird because I am right handed, but I’m just better with my left hand all around this hoop.”

This year she has more post moves to her resume, including the up-and-under.

“I think I have improved a lot more with my footwork in the post, so I have a lot more versatility with my moves,” Wilson said.

A 6-foot-1 post player, Wilson has had to go up against taller competition, but she does not shy away from the challenge or the contact that can take place inside the paint. She gets tons of practice going against senior post players Lello Gebisa and Emily Ashbaugh everyday in practice.

“Emily and Lello, I think, are the best and biggest post players we have in the Big Ten,” Wilson said. “I’ve had a great opportunity to get [to] go against them in practice every day, and that makes me less intimidated to go against any other big posts in the conference.”

Last season Wilson averaged 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while seeing limited playing time. This season she is currently averaging 5.3 points and collecting 5.3 rebounds per game, upping her minutes played to over 21.6 per game.

If there is one weakness in Wilson’s game, it may be her ability to be consistent from the free throw line, where she currently hits only 54 percent.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit,” Wilson said. “I just need to get my confidence up when I go to the line and just knock them down.”

Wilson was a perfect three for three from the charity stripe, though, in her last game against Iowa.

There could be a number of reasons for Wilson’s improved performance. One could be that she has a strong work ethic. Whether it is in practice, in a game the Badgers are up by ten, or in a game the Badgers are down by ten, Wilson keeps working.

Another reason for her improvement may be that Wilson is a year older and has adjusted to the physicality of Big Ten play.

Or it may be that a little luck has rubbed off on her from sporting the No. 23 on her jersey. Her name is Jordan, and she is from the Chicago area where basketball great Michael Jordan won six NBA championships.

There may no be no one secret to Wilson’s success, but the future of Wisconsin looks bright if Wilson can keep giving the Badgers consistent performances.

“Overall, we’ve been working very well together,” said Wilson. “We are an extremely close team on the court.”