In yet another close finish for the Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team–a 66-62 win over Indiana University Sunday–a different Badger was relied upon down the stretch.
And oh how she came through.
Sophomore forward Jordan Wilson set a new career-high with 24 points on 8-12 shooting and also had 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season, as she led the Badgers to victory over the Hoosiers at the Kohl Center.
“Jordan Wilson made some plays, flat out made plays,” UW head coach Lisa Stone said of the game’s decisive minutes.
Wilson, who was MVP of the Miami tournament earlier this year, was not alone in her domination of the Hoosiers, as both senior Emily Ashbaugh, and sophomore Ashley Josephson made big contributions for the Badgers. Ashbaugh paired with Wilson inside and shot 6-8 on her way to 16 points. Josephson was the Badgers’ lone outside threat of the game, as she tied her career-high of four three-pointers, shooting 4-5 from beyond the arc en route to 14 points.
“The guards had great passes in to me, and I knew that if I missed [a shot], that Emily [Ashbaugh] and [sophomore Kjersten] Bakke had my back,” Wilson said of her career day.
But undeniably the hero of the game was Wilson, who seemed to will the Badgers to their ninth victory of the season, and third in the Big Ten, with inspiring hustle, gritty play inside and a several jaw dropping circus shots.
“We just knew we had to go in and fight and get it inside to Jordan, because she was just amazing,” Josephson said. “In the second-half she would turn around and do a little hook shot and it was just going in for her. It was great to have her play like she did today.”
In fact the only place the Hoosiers seemed to be able to slow down Wilson was at the free-throw line. Wilson had a rough game at the charity stripe, shooting 8-14.
“I’ve just got to have more confidence on the free-throw line and knock them down,” Wilson said.
After missing her first shot, Wilson caught fire hitting her next five and leading the Badgers with 12 points and six rebounds at the half. She did not slow down any in the second-half as UW began to run the offense through her, especially in the waning moments when the outcome was very much in doubt.
“We knew we wanted to get the ball down to Jordan in the stretch,” Stone said. “It was 64-62…and our team hung on. We went to Jordan inside…She was putting up numbers for us.”
Wilson responded admirably, scoring the decisive basket in the final minutes and netting a couple of clutch rebounds.
The win gives the Badgers much needed momentum as the season winds down, heading into the Big Ten tournament, which is less than two weeks away.
“We’re playing together…we are coming together at the right time,” Stone said, expressing hope the Badgers could make a run through the Conference tournament, and into the post-season.
If Wilson can duplicate her outstanding play down the stretch and Ashbaugh and Josephson continue their consistent play, the Badgers believe they could turn some heads come Big Ten tournament time in March.
