In the 72nd edition of the women’s basketball version of the border battle, Minnesota withstood a late Wisconsin charge to win 84-77 Saturday.
After being down by 23 points, the Badgers (6-12, 2-6) used a late flurry of three pointers, led by Nicole Bauman’s seven, to cut the game to within single digits late in the fourth quarter.
The run, however, was too little too late as the Gophers (13-6, 5-3) were able to secure multiple key offensive rebounds and make crucial free throws late to hold off the upset.
“I thought they could’ve rolled over many times,” Minnesota head coach Marlene Stollings said. “They were down 23 near the end of the third quarter, but they just kept battling and fighting their way back. Some of those shots they hit in the fourth were highly contested.”
Bauman carried Wisconsin for the majority of the game.
The senior finished with 25 points, six rebounds, four assists and no turnovers. She was also seven of eight from behind the line and was the catalyst for the fourth quarter run that saw the Badgers outscore the Gophers by 13 in the period.
“Obviously we were down by a lot so I was feeling it; when I was open, I shot it,” Bauman said. “My teammates did a good job of giving me the ball at the end when I was open [and] we were penetrating and kicking and getting nice little dishes.”
Unfortunately for Wisconsin, Bauman’s effort couldn’t win the game on its own. The Badgers buried themselves into a double digit deficit at the end of the first half by shooting only 26 percent from the field.
Wisconsin head coach Bobbie Kelsey stated that her team needs to continue to compete even though they might not have superior talent.
“They’re competitive,” Kelsey said. “You’ve got to have attitude out here and a hunger to get somebody. You’ve got to be in attack mode all the time whether it be one the offensive end or the defensive end.”
On the defensive end, Wisconsin had the tall task of defending Minnesota guard Rachel Banham and her 26 points per game in Big Ten play. Though she finished with 20, Wisconsin held her to two points in the first half and continuously dogged her on the defensive end throughout the game.
Perhaps due to their focus on Banham, the Badgers were not able to contain the Gopher’s attack as six players scored eight or more points, helping Minnesota win their eighth straight in the rivalry.
