Although they came out with a powerful start and dominated play for most of the game, Wisconsin (3-13 Big Ten, 10-19 overall) could not hold on in overtime and lost in the first round of the Big Ten championships to Minnesota (8-9, 20-12) Thursday night in Indianapolis.
The Badgers, who were the No. 11 seed going into the tournament, set the pace of the game early, going on an 8-2 run in the first few minutes of play, thanks to four baskets by junior forward Michala Johnson.
They maintained a comfortable lead over Minnesota for the entirety of the first half, which was a remarkable change from the Badgers’ gameplay after facing Minnesota just a few weeks ago at the Kohl Center. This time, UW shot its season-best 53.8 percent in the first half, and went into the second period with a 14-point lead.
Unfortunately for Wisconsin, its unstoppable power in the first half could not be repeated in the second. A layup from Johnson gave the Badgers the biggest lead of the game, at 44-28 just under five minutes into the second half. The Gopher offense then took off on a 14-4 run to put the score at 42-48.
A 3-pointer by senior guard Sari Noga brought Minnesota within just five points of the Badgers’ formerly comfortable lead, spurring a strong run for the Gophers that eventually tied the game 61-61 with a shot from outside the paint by junior guard Rachel Banham with just under a minute left in regulation.
The Gophers got their shot with 4:12 left in overtime, bringing the score within two at 63-61. Wisconsin senior guard Morgan Paige was able to tie the game up just seconds later, but Minnesota refused to let the Badgers take the lead for the rest of overtime play, finishing the game 74-68.
Three Badgers finished the game in double digits, including Paige and senior guard Taylor Wurtz, who netted 16 and 13 points, respectively. Johnson finishes off the list with 19 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, her seventh of the season.
