The Wisconsin women’s basketball team (5-11 Big Ten, 9-19 overall) hopes that its emotions and momentum following Sunday’s Senior Night win against Illinois carries into the Big Ten Tournament, as the Badgers face off against Minnesota (6-10, 14-16) in the first round.
The emotional win on Senior Night, which sent off three seniors in forward Anya Covington, forward Ashley Thomas and guard Jade Davis, served as a savior for the Badgers, as it both ended their season-long six game losing streak and has given them a little more confidence throughout this week.
“It’s always really exciting closing your season out on a high note,” said sophomore guard Morgan Paige, who had a career-high 29 points Sunday. “Everybody’s a little more upbeat now. We just hope that continues into practice today and the next couple of days and hopefully we can make a nice little run in the tournament.”
Covington, who had a team-high 19 points in the team’s only meeting of the season against Minnesota, a 78-72 victory in Minneapolis, agrees and says the remainder of the season translates to a completely different atmosphere.
“We’re very excited about the win [from Sunday],” she said. “It’s definitely giving us some momentum and confidence. But this is like a new season, so we’re excited.”
Minnesota has shown signs of inconsistency throughout the season, putting up wins against the likes of Ohio State and Nebraska, but also dropping multiple games to teams towards the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
“Different teams play people differently,” Wisconsin head coach Bobbie Kelsey said. “I know we beat a couple of teams that they didn’t and they’ve beaten folks that we didn’t. So it’s almost like this is a new type of thing.”
Paige noticed the high-pressure defensive approach that Illinois displayed Sunday right away and began attacking the basket which she says is her main strength more than usual. It also helped her get to the foul line, as she went a perfect 11-of-11 from the charity stripe, a Kohl Center record. Paige says that if she notices a hint of too much pressure against Minnesota she will drive the lane with as much aggressiveness as she did Sunday.
“Hopefully I can just try my strength right away and see if that’s working,” Paige said, who also noticed the extra lanes open from Illinois’ high pressure. “And if it is, I’ll just keep doing it.”
Paige remembers from the previous game against the Gophers that they too played with a higher pressure than a lot of teams they’ve seen.
“I think they do [play with a more high pressure mentality]. “They try to get up and pressure you and try to make you turn the ball over. They’re just a scrappy team. It’ll be interesting.”
Kelsey agreed that the Golden Gophers have a scrappy and aggressive style of play on the defensive side, but says the offensive side is completely different.
“I think they share the ball and they play together,” Kelsey said. “I don’t think anybody out there is being wild and crazy and trying to do too much. They get it to [Rachel] Banham and she creates for her teammates.”
Banham recently was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and hails from the same high school as Badgers’ sophomore forward Cassie Rochel. She leads the Gophers with 16.1 points per game and put up 19 the last time the teams played.
“It’s really difficult when [she] can do everything,” Paige said. “To really get in and get her out of rhythm right away is the easiest way against her.”
Should the Badgers advance, they would then play No. 9/12 Penn State Friday, who they lost to by scores of 82-49 and 69-54 earlier in the season. Tip off for Thursday's game against Minnesota is set for 5 p.m. at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
