When the Wisconsin women's basketball teamsteps onto the court at the Kress Center in Green Bay Thursday evening, the team will have just one idea on their minds: Revenge.
The Phoenix women's basketball team, a program that has challenged the usual state collegiate sports superiority of UW-Madison in the past few years, will look to make in two in a row over the Badgers after a heated battle last season.
Facing Green Bay in the Kohl Center last season, Wisconsin battled for the entire 40 minutes, ultimately falling 60-58. The loss was the first of the season for the Badgers, and one of just two in the team's first 13 games.
Last season, the Phoenix posted an impressive 28-5 record, including an 18-0 conference mark and a Horizon League title, earning the team a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Green Bay eked out a narrow upset in the first round over No. 5 Virginia, before falling to No. 4 Iowa State in another close contest in the second round.
More recently, the Phoenix are coming off a huge victory over Minnesota in Minneapolis, downing the Gophers 79-75 in a high-scoring affair.
""Green Bay is a very good basketball team,"" head coach Lisa Stone said. ""Minnesota is a really good team, and that's a tough place to play up there in Williams Arena. And they hung in there.""
While the Green Bay team Wisconsin will find Thursday should look very similar to the squad they faced in 2009, the Badgers themselves are still adjusting to a new set of players. Stone contends those players are adjusting just fine however, making note of sophomore guard Taylor Wurtz.
""Her maturation as a player, understanding that the game doesn't have to be so fast, is really helping her,"" Stone said. ""Her game is growing, both offensively and defensively.""
Also growing on the court this year is freshman Morgan Paige, who continues to impress her coach. Paige, who has filled in for injured senior guard Alyssa Karel in the first two games, will continue to see plenty of time on the court with Karel still listed day-to-day and questionable for Thursday.
""She's been thrown to the wolves right away,"" Stone said of Paige. ""Her growth from day to day is amazing.""
The Badgers did receive good news on the injury front this week, however. Sophomore transfer Tiera Stephens, sidelined for the beginning of the season with an injury, began to see activity at practice this past week and Stone hopes to see her find at least some playing time against Green Bay.
And while Wisconsin's first two contests have been relatively easy games with which to transition new players and new roles, the Badgers will be forced to grow up fast when they visit Green Bay Thursday. The Phoenix are expecting a sell-out crowd, and would sure like to make it two in a row over in-state rival Wisconsin.
""They play hard,"" Stone said. ""Defensively, they will try to turn you over and we have to be sharp.
""We have to play very, very hard, keep building off what we've been learning, continue to do what we do well, and, you know, we'll be ready by Thursday.""
