Credit Source: University of Wisconsin Athletics
MADISON, Wis. — One of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference showed why it’s one of the best defensive teams in the nation as No. 11 Indiana downed the Wisconsin women’s basketball team, 77-49, in the Kohl Center Wednesday night.
The Hoosiers entered the game, allowing just 54 points per game while their opponents shoot just 36.7% from the field. Wisconsin finished the game, shooting 34.5% (20-58) from field-goal range while Indiana shot 46% (29-63). IU dominated the boards, finishing with a 50-22 advantage in rebounds, including 18 offensive boards, scoring 19 second-chance points. It was a season-low rebounds for Wisconsin.
The Hoosiers also got to the free-throw line 21 times, making 15 for 71.4% while the Badgers were just 7-10 from the charity stripe for 70%.
Sophomore guard Julie Pospisilova was the only Badger scoring in double figures, putting up a team-best 16 points. The 6-foot guard also led the team with five rebounds and four assists while sharing game-high honors with two steals.
Head coach Jonathan Tsipis had to go to his bench early as junior Imani Lewis picked up her second personal foul less than three minutes into the game. The Badgers also started the game without post player Sara Stapleton, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Things were not going Wisconsin’s way when leading scorer Sydney Hilliard suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter. The guard tried to come back in the second half but was unable to, playing a season-low 17 minutes. Lewis finished with nine points and four rebounds while Hilliard scored four points and pulled down two rebounds.
Freshman Kate Thompson was one of those players who took advantage of increased playing time, putting up six points on 3-8 shooting as well as adding three rebounds and two blocks. Tsipis was also able to see extended minutes from sophomore Tara Stauffacher, who made her fourth career start, and freshman Halle Douglass. Both saw over 20 minutes of court time, ending the contest with two points and three rebounds apiece.
Wisconsin started out strong, leading 5-0 early but Indiana scored six straight to take a 6-5 lead with 6:23 to play in the first quarter. The Badgers ended the quarter trailing by only six points (17-11) but Indiana outscored UW 20-12 in the second period to lead 37-23 at the half, a gap Wisconsin could not close.
Straight from the court
“I thought Indiana was the aggressor and I thought defensively they made us play faster than we wanted to at times and forced people to create shots only for themselves. I think you see that when you see that we had 20 made field goals and only six of them were assisted.
“On the other end, they were obviously sensational on the glass. We talked about it at halftime when it was minus 12 (on rebounds) and it didn’t get better, minus 18 in the second half. They’re such a good team to begin with, and then when they control the backboards, they got to the offensive glass. That helped them get to the free-throw line and there’s a disparity there obviously with 21 attempts. There’s a reason they are one of the top defensive teams in the country.”
–Head coach Jonathan Tsipis
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