The Wisconsin women’s basketball team (9-19, 4-12 Big Ten) dominated both ends of the court to secure their ninth win of the season over Rutgers (11-17, 5-11 Big Ten) 88-62 Monday at the Kohl Center.
Monday’s win was especially important for Marisa Mosley’s squad, who surpassed last season’s total of eight wins.
Wisconsin stormed out to a 9-0 run halfway through the first quarter and took a 24-16 advantage in the first ten minutes. The team was efficient on offense, boasting a 9-of-16 mark from the floor and 5-of-8 from behind the arc in the first quarter. Avery Labarbera and Julie Pospisilova put up a combined 13 of the Badgers’ 24 first-quarter points.
Wisconsin continued its offensive efficiency in the second quarter and shot lights-out from the perimeter, making nine total 3-pointers in the first half. The Scarlet Knight’s defense struggled to contain Maty Wilke, who made three 3-pointers in the second frame. Wisconsin led by as many as 16 points in the second quarter, but freshman guard Kaylene Smikle rallied for nine points during a 13-3 run in the second quarter to keep the Scarlet Knights within reach.
The Badgers went into the locker room at halftime leading 46-35.
Wisconsin’s offensive onslaught continued in the third quarter despite Coquese Washington’s adjustments in the locker room to defend the perimeter. Rutgers cut the deficit to as little as seven points with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Still, the Badgers rallied 18-2 over the final minutes to take a dominating 69-46 lead heading into the final frame.
Wisconsin utilized inside players Brooke Schramek and Serah Williams in the paint. The two brought in a combined 12 of Wisconsin’s 23 third-quarter points. Marisa Mosley’s squad defended the basket well in the third frame with three blocks and two steals that only allowed 11 Rutgers points in the third quarter.
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Wisconsin continued to add to their comfortable lead throughout the fourth quarter. Rutgers, who only has eight players on their roster, showed signs of fatigue early in the final frame. The Badgers capitalized on the Scarlet Knight’s softened defense and added 19 points to their total in the fourth quarter. Marisa Mosley took out all of her starters with 3:22 left in the game to close out a dominant 88-62 victory.
Wisconsin was effective in balancing its offense while playing a stifling defensive scheme. The Badgers forced the Scarlet Knights to commit 18 turnovers and converted 23 points off turnovers. The red and white dominated both ends of the glass and secured 32 total boards and a team-high eight blocks in the contest.
Wisconsin’s balanced offense allowed for a variety of quality shots throughout the contest against Rutgers. All five of Wisconsin’s starters scored in double-digits, led by Serah Williams who finished with 21 points and eight boards. Julie Pospisilova finished second on the team with 17 points and seven rebounds. Avery Labarbera and Maty Wilke finished with 16 and 14 points respectively, and the two combined for eight of the Badgers’ 11 3-pointers. Brooke Schramek rounded out Wisconsin’s double-digit scores with 11 points and made all four free throw attempts in the process.
While Rutgers was unable to keep within striking distance, the Scarlet Knights were led by Kaylene Smikle who had an impressive performance with 19 points and seven rebounds. Chyna Cornwell was the only other double-digit scorer for Rutgers and finished with 14 points, most of which came in the final quarter.
Wisconsin will look to add to their win total Thursday against Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
