In the last home game for seniors Morgan Paige, Taylor Wurtz and Daria Kryuchkova, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team (3-13 Big Ten, 10-18 overall) lost a hard-fought battle to Northwestern (5-11, 15-14) 77-73 in overtime Sunday at the Kohl Center.
With NU leading the all-time series 32-31 going into the game, and with the teams being neck-and-neck in the Big Ten standings, the Badgers were looking to end their six-game losing streak with a signature win at home.
The first half featured up-tempo, back-and-forth play with four lead changes and five ties. The Badgers found success in the paint early, going to junior forward Michala Johnson, but she would pick up her second personal foul at the nine minute mark, putting her on the bench for the rest of the first half.
Coming out of the break down seven, Johnson was back on the floor for the Badgers at the start of the second half.
With the Badgers' 3-point shots not hitting home, they would continue to go inside to Johnson bringing them back from an early 10-point deficit.
An 18-3 run, keyed by a deep Wurtz 3-pointer, put the Badgers in the driver’s seat up five with 10 minutes to go.
The Wildcats battled back to tie the game with one minute left, and were led by freshman forward Nia Coffey, who led all scorers with 19 points. Two free-throws later by both teams and once again the score was tied.
After a missed, off-balance jumper by Coffey, Wurtz found the ball in her hands with the clock winding down.
“I saw her coming down her left side and I was like ‘oh she’s going to come back towards the middle and she’s going to pull up,’” Paige said. “She had it and it sat on the rim for the longest time. In practice, she makes that shot like it’s a layup, I would let her shoot that every single time. That’s a great shot for her.”
Head coach Bobbie Kelsey felt similar confidence in Wurtz.
“It would have been fitting for Taylor to hit that jumper, senior night and it was right there,” Kelsey said. “She would make that shot, if she had 10 more she would make 10 of them.”
The Wildcats took control early in overtime and didn't look back, hitting five of their final six free-throws to put the game out of reach for the Badgers.
Although Wisconsin could not come through with a win, the final game of the regular season marked a major milestone for three seniors, who were honored after the game and who have all played integral roles in the team dynamics.
“We’ll miss them but as they go, they come. And that’s just the coach’s life,” Kelsey said. “You hate to see them go, but you know you've got some new ones coming in.”
The Badgers head to Indiana later this week for the Big Ten Conference Tournament with high hopes for a successful outcome despite the team’s string of losses, according to Kelsey.
“When you’re down in the dumps a little bit it is easy to quit, but they just don’t quit. They just keep fighting and fighting, there’s a tournament and opportunity,” she said.
