The Badgers women’s basketball team lost a heartbreaker to No. 22 Nebraska by one point, 71-70 in overtime Wednesday night at the Kohl Center.
“We played tough like coach said, but we don’t like moral victories,” redshirt senior Taylor Wurtz said. “So we just have to get back in the gym and watch the film to correct the little mistakes we made. Now we know that we can play with anybody in this league and we are gonna make a statement toward the end of the season.”
While Wisconsin (3-7 Big Ten, 10-12 overall) put up a valiant effort against the Huskers (6-3, 16-5), they weren’t able to make the necessary play at the end of the game to finish with a win.
Neither team led by more than six points, but it seemed as if the Badgers were always in control. The game started slow, with the score at half standing 26-21 in favor of the Badgers. Wisconsin severely slowed down Nebraska’s offense, holding the Cornhuskers to their season-low point total at the end of the first half.
The Huskers held the Badgers’ leading scorer, junior forward Michala Johnson, to just two points in the first half, but their 3-point shooting helped open up the paint after the break. Johnson would go on to score 14 points in the second half and kept the Badgers in the lead.
“In the second half I knew I had to step it up and do what I do best, and that is finish [around the basket],” Johnson said.
With the game going down to the wire and the two teams trading baskets, junior guard Tear’a Laudermill stepped up for the Huskies hitting her last four, 3-point attempts to keep Nebraska within striking distance.
At the end of regulation with the Badgers up 60-58, Nebraska senior Jordan Hooper stepped up and did what star players do best—made the game-tying shot. Wurtz forced Hooper into tough shots most of the game, but Hooper got free when it counted.
“Shes a tough player to guard, shes physical, she took over the game like a great player does,” Wurtz said.
As the game went into overtime the Badgers built on what they did at the end of regulation—getting the ball inside to Johnson for high-percentage looks. Johnson had eight of the teams’ 10 point in the extra period, but it wasn’t enough to lead her team to victory.
With eight seconds to play and the Badgers down one, the plan was to get the ball inside and let Johnson work her magic. The ball was inbounded and swung around to Johnson, but the post feed from junior Jacki Gulczynski was stolen away by a Nebraska defender. The buzzer sounded soon after, ending any hope of a Badger victory.
“Johnson had a great game in the second half and we had a tough time slowing her down,” Nebraska head Coach Connie Yori said. “You hate to see anybody lose that game because both teams fought really hard.”
