Despite struggling to a 4-6 record just past the midway point of the Big Ten season, Lisa Stone, head coach of the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team, believes the Badgers are better than their record would indicate.
UW has played close in five of its six conference losses, losing by an average of 6.2 points in those games. Despite hanging tough with its opponents, Wisconsin has been unable to finish games and secure the victory.
“We’re right there in every single game,” Stone said. “Our defense is putting us in the situation. Our kids are playing hard. Our attitude is very, very good. We just need to shore up a few details and get some of those wins.”
While the defense has remained strong throughout Big Ten play, the Badgers’ offense has struggled against the stout defenses within the conference.
After averaging a little over 60 points per game during the nonconference season en route to a 10-1 record, Wisconsin has managed just 55.2 points per game against Big Ten opponents. In its losses — including the season-opening loss at South Dakota State — the UW offense has been even worse, averaging just 53 points per game.
“Anytime you enter Big Ten play, certainly, it amps up,” Stone said. “We’ve talked to our players a lot about there being three seasons. You’ve got your nonconference season … and then you have the Big Ten season, and then you have the postseason. Right now we’re in the middle of our second season, and we’re weathering a little bit of a storm.”
The Badgers also continue to struggle playing on the road this season, managing just two wins against five losses away from the Kohl Center. UW has lost its last four on the road, albeit by a combined total of 17 points.
With its recent road history, Wisconsin places an even greater emphasis on protecting its home court Thursday against Purdue with the following two games on the road once again.
“You want to protect home court and play well at home,” Stone said. “Our crowds have gotten bigger now in the Big Ten season. … It’s going to be great to come back home against a very, very good team. Every game we play is a statement game right now, and every game is important.”
Dunham shining for Badgers despite team struggles
Early in the season, sophomore Alyssa Karel seemed unstoppable, consistently leading the team in scoring and even earning MVP honors at the Paradise Jam tournament.
As the season has progressed, however, teams have focused more on stopping Karel, and junior Mariah Dunham has asserted herself as one of the team’s top scorers.
Dunham has scored in double digits in each of the Badgers’ last five games, including a game-high 17 points in Wisconsin’s win over Michigan. Dunham averages 9.6 points per game, second on the team to Karel’s 13.2 average.
With Dunham and Karel leading the way, the Badgers have a strong one-two punch that has proven difficult to defend when the team takes care of the ball and passes well.
“Mariah is breaking out, playing good basketball at the right time,” Stone said. “She’s defensively giving us a hand certainly and getting on the glass.”
Dunham’s biggest asset is her ability as a forward and post player to play like a guard when needed to against bigger, slower defenders. The 6-foot-1-inch forward has excellent range, shooting 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc on the season.
“She has the ability to score,” Stone said of Dunham. “She has the ability to step away and come inside. [Sunday] we played her as a three guard versus a post player and that versatility helps us a lot.”
Even with Dunham’s emergence as a second scorer for Wisconsin, Stone still believes her team’s most important quality is its balance on both ends of the floor.
“If you look at our stat sheet, it’s very, very balanced,” Stone said. “That continued balance is important, and players even upping their averages is helpful at this time as well.”
