After a key Feb. 2 road win against Illinois (11-12, 2-10 Big Ten), the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team dropped consecutive games to Big Ten foes Minnesota and Ohio State.

With only five games remaining in the 2019-20 regular season, Wisconsin will look to gather momentum prior to March’s Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, starting this week with games against Purdue (15-10, 6-7) and Iowa (20-4, 11-2).

Women’s Basketball: Badgers fall to Minnesota, Ohio State as conference woes continue

In the first game of the week, the Boilermakers travel to the Kohl Center Thursday to take on the Badgers. Purdue is reeling following three consecutive losses, but the Boilers remain dangerous due to their upperclassmen three-headed attack of Ae’Rianna Harris, Karissa McLaughlin and Dominique Odom.

While McLaughlin and Odom are catalysts in the backcourt — each averaging 12.9 points per game — Harris is an enforcer inside. The senior forward from Indianapolis averages 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. In Purdue’s Jan. 19 loss to Minnesota, Harris grabbed five rebounds to become Purdue’s all-time leading rebounder.

In order to win Thursday, the Badgers must slow down this trio which averages close to 60% of the team’s points (38.9). Following Thursday’s game, the Badgers travel to Des Moines for a Sunday afternoon game against No. 17 Iowa.

Women’s Basketball: Badgers need win in ‘prove it’ games with Big Ten schedule nearing close

This is Wisconsin’s second meeting against the Hawkeyes. The Badgers seek revenge after blowing a 15-point halftime lead in a painful 85–78 Jan. 19 loss.

Iowa is led by Conference Player of the Year candidate, senior Kathleen Doyle. Doyle, the five-foot-nine-inch guard from LaGrange Park, Illinois has done it all for the Hawkeyes, averaging 18.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. Doyle played a pivotal role in Iowa’s previous win against Wisconsin, scoring 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting.

Wisconsin will look to ride the hot hand of senior Abby Laszewski. With her career winding down, Laszewski has taken her play up a notch, scoring over 25 points in both games last week. Laszewski is shooting an incredible 64% from the floor over her last two games.

Following this week, Wisconsin will play their final two home games as they take on conference-leader Maryland and Northwestern.