Following a back-and-forth match against Nebraska, Marisa Moseley’s Wisconsin squad (8-20, 5-13 Big Ten) handed Katie Gearlds and the Purdue Boilermakers (16-13, 7-11 Big Ten) their 11th conference loss this season on a game-clinching layup from sophomore Halle Douglass and block from Brooke Schramek
Both groups played well early on, combining for 17 total points and a lead change within the first six minutes of the opening frame. But then Purdue went colder than ice, missing its final seven shot attempts of the quarter and allowing Wisconsin to generate an 8-0 scoring run and nine-point edge heading into the second frame.
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UW continued its offensive excellence in the following period, with 50% efficiency from both the field and behind-the-arc. With contributions from five different student-athletes, the Badgers outscored Purdue and extended their advantage to 11 by intermission. The Boilermakers shot 32.1% from the floor during the first half, and Geralds’ group faced their first double-digit deficit of the afternoon.
Purdue’s scoring deficiencies resumed early in the second half as they scratched the scoresheet just once within the first 4:17 of the third. Rickie Woltman’s jumper ignited an 8-0 run that transpired in under 50 seconds, and by the 3:32 mark, Purdue had cut Wisconsin’s lead to just two. UW ended the frame with three unanswered field goals, but 10 minutes still bridged the gap between a hard-fought victory or heartbreaking loss to close out the regular season.
The Boilermakers came out firing in the fourth, and with two quick three-pointers and a layup from Abbey Ellis, the game was tied up at 48-48. Wisconsin provided Badgers fans with some breathing room after reestablishing a six-point edge with 3:03 remaining, but Purdue roared back. With just 13 ticks to spare, Jeanae Terry made a layup and Geralds’ team secured its first lead since the first quarter.
On the next possession, Halle Douglass drove the length of the floor for a lefty layup, and UW reclaimed a one-point advantage. Schramek rejected Terry’s last-second attempt, and the Badgers officially sealed their fifth conference victory in Moseley’s first season in Madison.
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Still without UW star Sydney Hilliard for the eighth straight game, junior guard Julie Pospíšilová notched a game-high 19 points, snared five rebounds and handed out five assists with a stellar 61.5% clip from the field. Sophomore Halle Douglass, the hero of Sunday’s bout, stuffed the stat sheet. The six-footer managed 16 points, gobbled up eight boards, dished out six dimes and denied two shot attempts in 39 minutes. Sophomore Brooke Schramek boasted three swats and nine points for Moseley as well.
For Purdue, senior Cassidy Hardin canned four three-pointers for a team-high 14 points, distributed four assists and seized three rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. Junior guard Abbey Ellis added 14 of her own points and snagged four loose balls in her 35 minutes, and her teammate, Rickie Woltman, poured in four field goals.
Looking ahead, the Badgers will play Illinois in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament, taking place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis from March 2 to March 6.
