After dropping the last five games, the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team returns to action Sunday to face Michigan State in the annual “Think Pink” game at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers (6-13, 2-7) look to kick-start the second half of Big Ten play by upsetting a Michigan State (15-4, 6-2) team that has won three in a row and is primed, with a win, to be ranked in next week’s polls.
Wisconsin will look to utilize a new smaller lineup that was effective toward the end of the game against Minnesota.
The small ball lineup, consisting of Nicole Bauman, Dakota Whyte, Tessa Cichy, Roichelle Marble and Avyanna Young spreads out the floor and allows Wisconsin to maximize their shooting and open up driving lines.
Badger’s head coach Bobbie Kelsey thinks that this lineup is one change that can kick the Badgers out of their current losing streak.
“The lineup really showed a lot of fight in there in getting us back into the game,” Kelsey said. “We had a lot of shooters in, so that zone that they were in, it got distorted in a lot of places. It almost looked like player-to-player defense.”
The new lineup is part of a change in philosophy that will see the Badgers putting more pressure on their upcoming opponents.
By going small, the team is able to play faster and get more possessions while hopefully gassing the defense and catching them while they’re tired.
“We don’t want to walk it up and play slow ball; nobody wants to see that,” Kelsey said. “I don’t even want to see that, so we’re going to push it, even half-court, push it, put pressure on the defense and get back. It draws in the guards and you kick it out for the three’s.”
Kelsey also wants the lineup to capitalize on the energy that comes with the annual “Think Pink” game.
The game helps support the fight against breast cancer and the Badgers will wear pink jerseys to show their support. Last season, the event brought one of the biggest crowds to the Kohl Center.
“’Think Pink’ is always a big game initiative in women’s basketball. Last year we had a spectacular crowd, for a great cause,” Kelsey said. “This year we expect a big crowd. I heard it’s a lot of folks coming. I don’t know if it’s sold out yet, but come on, come on Badgers; we gotta do this.”
The Badgers will look to feed of the crowd and get a signature win for what has been a difficult season to this point. The game will kick off 3 p.m. Sunday at the Kohl Center.
