Two teams at the bottom of the Big Ten standings will face off Thursday as the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team (5-18, 0-10 Big Ten) takes on the University of Nebraska (5-18, 1-10 Big Ten) at the Kohl Center. Both teams are riding substantial losing streaks and are desperate for a win any way they can get it.
The Badgers are yet to win a game in Big Ten play and are currently on a 10-game losing streak after a big loss to Ohio State in their last game. Nebraska comes into the game on a six-game losing streak with one win so far during the Big Ten season. A win would tie the two teams at 1-10 in conference play for the season.
Both teams struggle to score with their opponents. The season scoring averages for the teams are very similar, with the Badgers coming in at 61 points per game and Nebraska coming in at 61.8. On paper, the game looks to be an evenly matched battle. The Badgers need to ride some of the momentum from the Ohio State where they scored their Big Ten-high in points (68) into Thursday.
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To win their first game in Big Ten play, the Badgers will need to limit the scoring and rebounding of the Huskers’ leading scorer, Jessica Shepard. Shepard is averaging a double-double with 18.1 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game.
UW will also need to look out for freshman Hannah Whitish who is the Huskers’ current leader in assists per game (2.5) and three-point shooting percentage (36 percent). These are the two players that need to be at the forefront of UW’s defensive game plan in order for the Badgers to get a much-needed win.
Another key to the game will be the turnover battle. Both teams really struggle to keep control of the ball. Both teams are in the bottom 100 for turnovers per game in the nation. With Wisconsin averaging 19.5 turnovers per game and Nebraska 18.1 per game, the game could come down to who can slow the game down the most and play below their season turnovers per game average. The Badgers will need to win the turnover battle in order to win.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST and is scheduled to air on BTN Plus.
