The Wisconsin Women’s Basketball team is set to host the University of St. Thomas on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. This anticipated matchup will be the second game of Marisa Moseley’s time with the Badgers, and it’ll be a good test for the Red, following their win over UW-Oshkosh last week.
In Wisconsin’s previous matchup, they proved to be no match for their in-state rival, UW-Oshkosh. Though it was a highly anticipated exhibition, the Titans were defeated 81-47. Although this was only the first game of the season, there are a lot of positives to take forward to the upcoming game against St. Thomas.
One of the big reasons as to why the Badgers were able to take home such a convincing win was the dynamic duo of Julia Pospisilova and Sydney Hilliard. The pair combined for a total of 28 points, complemented by their great rebounding performance throughout the game. The two juniors showed no signs of slowing down, and their play will be exciting to watch, not only during the St. Thomas matchup but also for the rest of the season.
This matchup will be the first game for the St. Thomas Women. They will be led by Graduate Forward Kaia Porter and Senior Guard Noelle Thomas. The two led the team last year, with 11.4 PPG and 9.6 PPG, respectively. The pair will rival the likes of Pospisilova and Hilliard, as both duos are set to break out this season.
Porter and Thomas will have the help of Sophomore Center, Kate Burns, who had a very productive season last year. As a freshman, Burns offered 13 minutes per game, accumulating a 53.8% Field Goal Percentage — one of the best percentages on the team. It will be interesting to see how she fares in the upcoming matchup, as it would be a surprise not to see her on the hardwood.
In the paint, Burns and the Tommie Centers are going to be matched up closely with Sara Stapleton. With the Badgers losing Imani Lewis over the summer, Stapleton will need to step up to take control of the boards. Although notching only 4 rebounds in their win against Oshkosh, the Junior Forward/Center will have the help of Pospisilova and Hilliard, as the pair racked up a combined 11 rebounds.
One last mention for the St. Thomas Women would go to Sophomore Guard Katelyn Stanley. Similar to her teammate, Kate Burns, Stanley played an impressive season during the chaotic 2020-21 season. As a freshman, she led the team in 30.1 minutes per game, contributing not only to the score line, but also on the boards with 6.1 RPG and 3.0 APG.
The Badgers are going to be challenged by Stanley, with Katie Nelson likely leading the defense against her. That said, Nelson is known to be a great defender, as she racked up over 120 steals in her 4 years at Boston. Wisconsin fans got to see a glimpse of this on Oct. 31, with her two steals against the Titans.
Both St. Thomas and UW-Madison are teams full of developing and efficient players. The matchups of both starting fives is a show that will be exciting to watch unfold, while both benches will carry a great load in the game and may just put one over the other. The game will take place at the Kohl Center and will be aired on the BIG 10+ Network for fans who can’t make it in person.
