Saturday’s contest between the University of Wisconsin-Madison women’s basketball team (10-10, 2-7 Big Ten) and the visiting Nebraska Cornhuskers proved to be a four-quarter battle between two struggling squads. After holding the lead throughout most of the second half, the Badgers saw their double-digit advantage evaporate in dramatic fashion, falling at the buzzer by the narrowest of margins, 72–71.
Wisconsin has struggled to find consistent results in Big Ten play this year and needed to turn a win on the road against Minnesota into some late-season conference momentum. With that win fresh in the minds of Wisconsin, this home game against Nebraska meant a lot for the remainder of the year.
Women’s Basketball: Badgers snap losing streak, win in Minnesota
As in Minneapolis a few days prior, the Badgers started slow Saturday morning. Trailing at the end of the first quarter and being propelled largely by forward Imani Lewis, the leader of a Wisconsin team tried to find an identity on offense. Lewis contributed a team-high 21 points and six rebounds, while Suzanne Gilreath added 11 points off the bench for the Badgers.
The Badgers capitalized on poor shooting by the Cornhuskers in the early phases of the second half, outscoring Nebraska by 12 points in the third quarter to take a 57–47 lead into the final frame. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, the offensive production would wane down the stretch and the defensive intensity suffered as a consequence, allowing Nebraska to claw its way back.
Nebraska (15-5, 5-4) battled through the late-game adversity and caught the Badgers giving away a win at home. Coming from behind on the road in a conference as perennially competitive as the Big Ten serves to emphasize the importance of closing out every game. Wisconsin let their defense slide only slightly and paid the ultimate price late in the game.
Women’s Basketball: Badgers scuffle against Georgia Tech, bounce back to beat North Dakota State
The Badgers now head to Indiana to face the nationally-ranked Hoosiers, another team struggling late in the year and looking to turn things around come March. To maximize the remainder of the season from this game forward, Wisconsin must maintain the offensive tenacity and defensive intensity that earned them their victories. They must then eliminate the sloppy turnovers and stagnant ball movement which have contributed to their defeats.
Wisconsin will travel to Bloomington to face Indiana Thursday, Jan. 30. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.
