The Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team lost to the Butler Bulldogs 59-51 Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center.
Both teams were 5-2 prior to Sunday’s game, but neither team has had a conference matchup yet this season.
Butler and Wisconsin have met three times before Sunday, with Wisconsin leading the series 2-1.
Senior Brooke Schramek, sophomore Ronnie Porter, sophomore Sania Copeland, senior Natalie Leuzinger and sophomore Serah Williams started for the Badgers.
The Badgers started the first quarter with a turnover, allowing the Bulldogs to capitalize with a 3-pointer from Bulldogs’ guard Rachel Kent. Butler then went on a 7-0 scoring run, but a block and rebound from D’Yanis Jimenez led to a fast break layup from Williams to finally put the Badgers on the board.
In her first game back, senior Halle Douglass scored a second-chance layup, putting the Badgers up 12-11 to end the first quarter. This was Douglass’ first bucket in her return after suffering a season-ending knee injury in November of last season.
The defensive effort continued from both teams in the second quarter. Neither team scored until five minutes in the quarter had passed. To help increase the Badgers’ lead, Porter scored off a layup in the paint.
Wisconsin struggled to guard Butler behind the 3-point line, allowing ten shots in the quarter. Kent made three 3-pointers with under two minutes left to play in the quarter to give Butler a 26-22 lead going into halftime.
The Badgers’ defense started to fall apart in the third quarter as the Bulldogs went on a 14-point scoring run to build a 10-point lead. However, Williams dominated in the paint, scoring eight points to get Wisconsin back in the game. With her effort, the team cut Butler’s double-digit lead going into the final quarter. The score was 40-36.
Butler again created a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter. As Wisconsin attempted to chip away at the lead, the Bulldogs continued scoring on the other end of the court.
With the defense intensifying throughout the game, both teams committed multiple fouls and were in the bonus. Butler’s Jordan Meulemans fouled Copeland, who made one of her two free throws to end the quarter for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s 59-51 loss to Butler is their lowest-scoring game so far this season. Both teams played well defensively and held scoring to below their average points per game. Wisconsin averaged 68.1 points per game prior to facing the Bulldogs. Butler averaged 69.9 points per game before.
Despite the Badgers’ strong defense, the offense struggled to defend the 3-pointer, allowing 25 shot attempts from behind the arc. The Badgers were still able to collect 32 rebounds and six blocks on the defensive end.
Butler’s Kent led all scorers with 25 points. Williams posted 24 points with 11 rebounds and five blocks despite defensive pressure, making her the only player in double-digits for Wisconsin and recording her second double-double this season. For comparison, Wisconsin had five players score double-digits against Northern Illinois on Nov. 29.
Porter, whose speed and fast hands has her leading the Big Ten in steals, had eight points and six rebounds but no steals.
The Badgers will return to action Dec. 10 against the No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes in their Big Ten opener.
