Coming off a close loss at Purdue, head coach Lisa Stone is optimistic about the Wisconsin women’s basketball team’s upcoming week.
Wisconsin does not play again until a Valentine’s Day matchup with Indiana at the Kohl Center as the Badgers enjoy a rare time off from midweek conference games.
“Our bye week comes in a timely fashion,” Stone said. “Alyssa Karel injured her lower leg and she’s being evaluated, but we’re very optimistic that she’ll be in action on Sunday. And again, we’re off today but looking forward to getting back on track with three remaining games here at home.”
After averaging fewer than 11 turnovers over a six-game span earlier this season, the Badgers averaged 21.5 turnovers in their two most recent games. According to Stone, however, the team “certainly can play better.”
Stone insists the team’s morale is not down, and the players are “in it for each other; they are very committed to picking up the pieces.”
She also said the team is in control of its future in the Big Ten race, and they must improve on the fundamentals like defense, rebounding and intensity. The Badgers lead the Big Ten in scoring defense, giving up only 53.9 points per game.
“This is a great week for us to improve areas offensively, defensively and again, continue to play well together and play our best basketball at the end of the season,” Stone said. “And we’re in that last 10 games of the season type of stretch where people are looking and there are committees looking at us and we control our destiny.”
In regards to the loss at Purdue, Stone said the team became too reliant on shooting the basketball after the first half in which they shot 62 percent from the field.
She believes they need to focus more on getting to the rim, as it is unlikely for the team to shoot at such a high level for the entire game.
“It’s on us,” Stone said of the loss. “It’s on us, and our preparation for our next game and you protect our home court and get back at Indiana as they come in.”
As Stone mentioned, Karel, a junior guard and the team’s leading scorer, injured her right leg in the second half of the game. While Stone is optimistic about Karel’s chance to return quickly, the Badgers’ future will hinge on her ability to lead the team’s offense.
With only five games remaining before the Big Ten Tournament, it would be hard for Wisconsin not to consider its chances of reaching the NCAA tournament this season.
When asked if the team was thinking about the national tournament, Stone did not shy away from acknowledging that they were.
“It’s really hard not to think about it so I’m going to be honest with you,” Stone said. “It’s exciting for this team. This is a team, again, they’re as close-knit as any team I’ve had.
“And there’s a prize at the end, but they know that the prizes are going to come by just doing what we do,” Stone continued. “And doing what we do is to prepare for next week and take care of business — do the things we do and the result that we want.”
Stone places a lot of emphasis on the overall strength of the Big Ten conference this year, as only four games separate second place Purdue from 11th place Illinois.
Currently sitting at 17-7 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten, Wisconsin is tied with Penn State for third place in the Big Ten standings. The Badgers have already surpassed their total number of conference wins in the 2008-09 season.
With five games left to play, the Badgers are playing for the first-round bye that is awarded to the top five teams in the Big Ten Tournament.
Stone says she cannot count out any of the teams in the Big Ten, as it is one of the strongest years in the history of the conference.
This year is the first year in the history of the Big Ten that every team in the conference has at least eleven wins, and Stone hopes that will help the Badgers’ — and the rest of the Big Ten’s — chances of reaching the NCAA tournament.
“My hope is that the committee will take a look at the entire Big Ten,” Stone said. “It is very strong.”
