The Wisconsin women’s basketball team will travel to take on Minnesota Wednesday night in this season’s second installment of the Border Battle.
The two teams met Jan. 4, with the Gophers dealing the Badgers a 72-60 defeat.
Here’s what you need to know for both teams heading into the Wednesday night matchup.
Wisconsin
The Badgers (8-14, 4-8 Big Ten) have lost five of their last six and will look to right the ship on the road. In those five losses, the Badgers have given up an average 82.2 points per contest, and they face a Minnesota team (18-6, 7-5) that averages 75 points a game, fourth in the Big Ten. Wisconsin ranks last in the league points per game with 62.6.
An offensive bright spot for the Badgers has been junior guard Tessa Cichy. She’s coming off career-highs of 20 points and eight field goals against No. 16 Iowa last Sunday, and has scored in double digits in six of her last seven games.
Junior guard Nicole Bauman has established herself as one of the premier three-point shooters in the conference, ranking fourth in threes made (55) and second in field goal percentage from behind the arc (45.5).
Last time out against the Gophers, Bauman was the only starter in double-digits (12), but the Badgers had solid bench production with 24 points coming from freshman Cayla McMorris (9), sophomore Malayna Johnson (9) and senior Ann Marie Brown (6).
Minnesota
The Gophers have hit a slide just over halfway through Big Ten play, going 2-4 in their last six after starting 5-1. They currently sit in a three-way tie for fifth place in the league, while Wisconsin is ninth.
Sophomore Amanda B. Zahui set the all-time Minnesota blocks record (109) in the Gophers’ last game, a win over Michigan State, and leads the Big Ten in blocks per game (3.9). She’s also third in rebounds per game (11.4) and leads Minnesota in scoring with 17.7 points per game, which is also fourth in the conference.
The Gophers have played a majority of the season without top player and Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Rachel Banham. The junior guard tore her ACL Dec. 10, and had averaged a team-high 18.6 points per game.
Her replacement in the starting lineup, Carlie Wagner, was just named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
Quick Facts
Wisconsin (8-14 overall, 4-8 Big Ten)
Last game: 87-75 loss to Iowa
Starters: G Dakota Whyte (10.3 ppg), G Nicole Bauman (14.2 ppg), G Tessa Cichy (8.6 ppg), F Jacki Gulczynski (8.9 ppg), F Cassie Rochel (6.6 ppg)
Key Reserves: F Ann Marie Brown, F Malayna Johnson, G Cayla McMorris
Minnesota (18-6, 7-5)
Last game: 86-79 win against Michigan State
Starters: G Carlie Wagner (11.6 ppg), G Mikayla Bailey (7.3 ppg), G Shayne Mullaney (6.3 ppg), F Shae Kelly (15.6 ppg), C Amanda Zahui (17.7 ppg)
Key Reserve: Kayla Hirt
Who: Wisconsin vs. Minnesota
Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota — Williams Arena (14,625)
When: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.