On Thursday night, the Wisconsin post players once again could not handle a tough defensive task. Now the questions begin ? are the opposing players that good, or are the Badger post players simply mediocre?

It is not simply that the Wisconsin presence down low was absent, but rather that during this season, it has been very inconsistent. This difficulty presented itself particularly when Wisconsin faced the Fighting Illini.

Smith ran all over the Badgers, scoring 12 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the first half. By the end of the game, she had doubled her points (24) and rebounds (14) while adding four blocks.

?My coach just kept telling me to sit on their knees,? Smith said. ?My teammates just kept throwing passes and we kept running plays to get myself open and my other teammates open. It?s mostly just my teammates giving me great passes.?

With Zastrow emerging as a strong post player against Ohio State Jan. 20, the Badgers were poised and excited for a change of pace, where their presence down low would be stronger.

In Thursday?s game though, Smith dominated the Badgers, and besides being Illinois? strongest force on offense, she shut down the lane for all Wisconsin players.

On the rebounding side, Ward and Zastrow combined for only 10 rebounds. In comparison, Wisconsin guard Jolene Anderson, who usually stands on the perimeter, got 12 rebounds, eight of which were in the first half.

Nevertheless, the Badgers watched the first half go by as Smith rolled over the Wisconsin backcourt and made several easy layups. In the second half, the Badgers bounced back, and manage to make some defensive adjustments on the Illini center.

?What Lin and Danielle do for our team is that they complement each other very well,? Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone said. ?Lin picked it up defensively. … It took a couple of early experiences against [Smith].?

Despite their late game improvements, Zastrow and Ward know they could be better post players, even with the tough play of Smith. For Zastrow, she still has much time to become a better defensive stopper down low.

?Like coach said, you can?t take anything away from her because [Smith?s] a very good player,? Zastrow said. ?She really uses her body well and is an overall smart player.?

Perhaps against Illinois it was not the inconsistent play of Ward and Zastrow, but rather that Smith is a premier presence down low, unlike most of the players the Badgers have played this season. However, when they have played teams with similar players, the results have been quite similar.

Against Ohio State, the Badgers allowed forward Jantel Williams to tally 22 points and seven rebounds and Hoosier center Amber Jackson scored 15 points against the Wisconsin defense.

Two of Wisconsin?s most important players barely reaching double digit rebounds in a game against a conference opponent hurts the Badgers significantly. Moreover, if the Badgers wish to compete with the best, their post play must drastically improve, and the players know it.

?I just … I think I have to watch film and learn how to play against someone like [Smith],? Zastrow said. ?She?s very smart ? she?s probably two inches shorter than me and still can shoot over me.?

The win over the Illini could have been far easier for the Badgers with stronger post play, and though the point has been visited several times this season, it should continue to be addressed until the problem is solved.

With the Badgers? season coming to a close very soon, if they hope to compete in the Big Ten Tournament, their post players must play accordingly. Making defensive adjustments throughout games is a good start and a necessary attribute, but Zastrow and Ward must be able to at the very least contain players of Smith?s ability