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Coming off a 64-44 loss at South Dakota State on Monday night, the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team returns to the Kohl Center tonight for another non-conference matchup, this time against the Drake Bulldogs.

The Badgers struggled in their loss to the Jackrabbits, shooting only 34 percent from the field and turning the ball over 23 times.

“We played too much one-on-one defensively and offensively [Monday] night against a really good team,” Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone said. “They’re solid; they can shoot it. But it’s a good test for our team to go against a team like that. It would have been nice to have a game under your belt before you play them, but it is what it is. Now it’s how we react to it. We have to do this together.”

Wisconsin also struggled from the free-throw line, shooting only 33 percent, and on defense, allowing the Jackrabbits to shoot nearly 73 percent from the floor in the first half.

“We have to shut down the lane together, we have to get out to shooters together, and we have to box out together,” Stone said. “We can’t have as frenetic a pace as we did last night. That’s not who we are. Defensively, that wasn’t who we were, particularly in the first half. We have to get back to who we are. Free-throw shooting is another issue. We have a chance to make up some ground and cut down the lead, and we couldn’t do it. The effort was good, but we just have to shore some things up.”

Stone was impressed with the play of some of the freshmen however, specifically forward Anya Covington, who had eight points and four rebounds. Ashley Thomas also contributed with three rebounds.

“Anya, from the River Falls game to that one, really took big steps forward,” Stone said. “She’s going to the basket, finishing with her body, and she’s really moving in the right direction. Ashley Thomas has what I like to call ‘go-go gadget’ arms. She uses them on defense and offense, and if she practices well these next few days, I might start her.”

Things won’t be getting much easier for the Badgers when they take on the Bulldogs. Drake opened their season last Friday with a 72-54 win over Texas State and returns three starters and eight letter winners from last year’s team that finished 23-11. The Bulldogs were led by Ashleigh Brady’s 18 points.

” I see a lot of similarities between Drake and South Dakota State in some regards,” Stone said. “Their post players can all stretch it and shoot it. Defensively, they will apply a lot of pressure and keep it going end line to end line.”

Drake will be led by junior Jordann Plummer, who averaged 8.8 points per game last season, and a defense that led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring, field goal and 3-point field goal defense.

” Plummer is a great player,” Stone said. She’s played not only the one guard, but the two guard as well. They have Kaniesha Agee, who’s a great defensive player. They have Monique’ Jones, a physical specimen on the inside. They also have Lauren Dybing, who put up some big numbers last year, and Kelsey Keizer, who also had some success.”

This will also be the first time Stone faces her former team as a Badger. She coached for three years in Des Moines from 2000 to 2003 before taking over the Badgers for the 2003-04 season. While at Drake, Stone posted a 64-27 record and led them to two NCAA tournament appearances. Stone however, doesn’t see this matchup as being anything personally special for her.

“I have no relationship with the players,” Stone said. “They came in after I left. It’s just a really good team from the Missouri Valley Conference, and it’s a good non-conference opponent for us.”