The University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team will try to end a four-game losing streak when they travel to West Lafayette, Ind., on Sunday to take on Purdue.
The Badgers are coming off a 28-point blowout loss to Michigan last Sunday when they allowed the Wolverines to score 70 points, the second-highest point total they’ve allowed this season, on 57.1 percent shooting. On offense, the Badgers shot only 28.8 percent and no players scored in double figures.
Purdue comes into the game with an 8-3 conference record and 15-7 record overall. In their first meeting on Jan. 29, the Boilermakers were able to sneak by the Badgers when Brittany Rayburn hit a three-pointer with 7.6 seconds left to propel Purdue to a 52-51 win.
However, Wisconsin played one of its best games of the year up until the final minute and will look to use the same approach when dealing with Purdue on Sunday.
“I just think we need to have the same plan we had the last game,” junior guard Teah Gant said. “We played a great 39 minutes, but we just broke down in the last minute. We’re going to keep fighting until the very end, the whole 40 minutes.”
In the last game the Badgers led Purdue by as many as 11 points in the second half and gave up no offensive rebounds until 3:30 left in the game. However, those second chances proved to be costly as Rayburn’s three-pointer was set up after an offensive rebound.
“I think we need to do the same things we did last time except we have to continue those in the last minute of the game,” sophomore guard Alyssa Karel said. “We played awesome on the offensive and defensive end the last time we played them. It just came down to a few key rebounds and possessions. We just have to come back with that same aggressiveness and focus, but just get it done for the entire game.”
Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone knows that for the Badgers to pull off the upset, they will have to play their style of basketball.
“We have to do what we do,” Stone said. “We have to play solid defense, limit them to only one shot, and offensively we have to find some flow. We have to be able to score inside and out, like we did last time. Our approach will be very similar because for 39 minutes that was our ballgame.”
Wisconsin was able to limit Purdue’s leading scorer and All-American candidate Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton to only six points in the last meeting, but the Boilermakers were able to compensate by utilizing their guards inside, where they held a size advantage over the Badgers. Purdue guard Lakisha Freeman led the way with 13 points.
“I think we can do a better job on post defense,” Karel said. “Their guards posted up a lot last time, so that’s one thing we’re definitely working on and hoping to shore up so it’s not an issue this time.”
Despite the disappointing loss, Stone was encouraged her team was in position to win against one of the top teams in the Big Ten.
“That’s the best game we’ve played all year,” Stone said. “I’m very encouraged by our approach and the way we scouted them.”
However, this time Wisconsin won’t be playing at the Kohl Center, but instead on the road. So far, the Badgers have played well at home, compiling a 9-3 record, but have struggled to a 2-6 record away from Madison.
Purdue will also have point guard FahKara Malone back in the lineup after she sat out the last month after dislocating her ring finger in a game against Michigan State. Malone averages 7.9 points and 4.7 assists per game.
As a team, the Boilermakers lead the Big Ten in assists per game, three-point field goal percentage, and assist/turnover ratio.
