The Wisconsin women’s basketball team will travel to the Jordan Center to play Penn State this Thursday. The Badgers will rely heavily on their leading scorer, freshman Jolene Anderson, as they try to upset the No. 25-ranked Nittany Lions.

“They’re a special team,” UW head coach Lisa Stone said. “The task is tall in front of us, yet it is one we’re certainly not afraid of.”

Stone credits much of Penn State’s success to their difficult non-conference schedule at the beginning of the season.

“Their non-conference schedule was certainly an unbelievable schedule to start with,” Stone said. “Their non-conference schedule has prepared them.”

The Nittany Lions are a mediocre 5-6 outside the Big Ten this season. However, during this span they faced five teams ranked in the top 15 in the nation. This has helped them to an 11-2 record in the Big Ten and second place in the conference standings.

The last time these two teams met the Badgers lost 67-58. The Nittany Lions’ combination of guards Jess Strom and Tanisha Wright led the way for the Lions with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

“Penn State brings probably the best one-two guard combo in the conference,” Stone said of Strom and Wright. “They are two very special players that lead their team.”

Wisconsin faces one of its toughest tests of the season in playing Penn State on the road, but Stone hopes her team built confidence from the two teams’ earlier meeting — a game in which the Badgers hung tough with the Nittany Lions before falling.

“[Penn State] plays teams very well at home,” Stone said. “Going on the road now we have to take the confidence that we may have built against Penn State here.”

Anderson impressing: Jolene Anderson made a large contribution in UW’s first matchup with Penn State, scoring 27 of the Badgers’ 58 points. Anderson has been the cornerstone of the Badgers’ offensive attack throughout the season. Her average of 18.0 points per game leads the Badgers, with the next closest scorer contributing less than 11 points per contest.

“Jolene is obviously having a fantastic year,” Stone said. “She leads us in many, many categories.”

While Anderson entered UW as the Wisconsin prep record for men and women with 2,881 points, her defensive skills were an issue for debate. However, Stone feels Anderson has made significant progress at the defensive end.

“Defensively she’s made leaps and bounds of improvement,” Stone said. “She’s a much better defender than I think anyone thought she would be.”

Anderson is a Big Ten rookie of the year candidate and is currently fourth in the conference for scoring average. Stone says she would be “shocked” if Anderson did not secure Big Ten top rookie honors. Despite Anderson’s impressive play thus far, Stone maintains there is still room for improvement.

“[Jolene] has a lot of the tools, but I think with maturity and a continued understanding of the game she is going to get better every single day,” Stone said.

As Anderson’s career as a Badger continues, there are lofty hopes for her future.

“I would like her to be a player people can’t guard,” Stone said. We’d like her to play 40 minutes a game if she can.”