The Wisconsin Badgers (3-11 Big Ten, 7-17 overall) haven’t won a lot. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to try to finish on a strong note.
With only two home games remaining, a senior-laden Wisconsin team is staring the end of the season in the face. But before they get their parting celebration on the Kohl Center floor against Northwestern this weekend, the Badgers will try and avenge a loss to another conference foe who nipped them a few weeks ago.
Wednesday night, UW plays the first of two consecutive home games against the Illinois Fighting Illini, a team that beat them 71-65 back on January 17.
The Badgers’ first matchup followed the same script that many of Wisconsin’s games have followed: start slow, finish fast and, in most cases, come up short.
“Getting to the end, five or six points and maybe we give up an assignment somewhere and somebody is not quite where they're supposed to be, but it's not for lack of effort,” head coach Bobbie Kelsey said during her weekly press conference.
That statement applied to the Badgers’ last two games, both losses. But against the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Ill. Wisconsin scored a mere nine points in the first quarter before finishing the game with a 23-point fourth quarter, finishing six points behind its opponent.
It was an admirable rally, but one that came up just short.
In that first matchup, Wisconsin redshirt senior center Michala Johnson and redshirt junior power forward Avyanna Young both struggled with Illinois center Chatrice White, who finished the game with 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in 38 physical minutes of play.
But as of late, Johnson and Young have both picked up their level of play. Johnson had a double-double in each of UW’s last three games and Young has added more than 10 points and seven rebounds in each of the Badgers’ last two.
Their collective improvement gives the Badgers hope that in a season full of losses, their continued fight might actually lead to a win.
“It’s been tough for them because we haven’t gotten the results we wanted. But we try to keep them focused on going out, finishing strong and really not having a pity party for yourself when things are not going your way,” Kelsey said. “It's easy to give up. It's hard to stay positive, stay focused and do some of those little things that we have been doing to keep ourselves in the game. If you're not in it, you don't have a chance."
The Badgers host the Fighting Illini Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Kohl Center.
