Coming off their first win in nine games against Michigan, Wisconsin women’s basketball looked to use that momentum on the road against the Purdue Boilermakers on Sunday. But the Badgers couldn’t come up with their third Big Ten win of the season and lost 84-71 to a Purdue team that had yet to win a Big Ten matchup this season.
Serah Williams was dominant once again, scoring 28 points with 12 coming from the free-throw line.
Those 12 makes were the most for Williams throughout the season so far. Her seven rebounds and three blocks only further showcased her consistency for Wisconsin the entire season, a true bright spot in an up-and-down year.
Tess Myers continued her stellar 3-point shooting from their last game against Michigan, adding 17 points and 5-11 shooting from the arc. This is the third straight game of 45% or higher 3-point shooting for Myers, cementing herself as a reliable shooting threat for the Badgers this season.
Ronnie Porter had the only other 3-pointer of the game for the Badgers, who shot 25% from three Sunday. Unlike its win against Michigan, Wisconsin simply couldn’t get it going from deep.
It only took 10 minutes into Sunday’s game for the Badgers to realize they had a hill to climb if they wanted to win on the road. Purdue shot a blistering 10-13 from the field in the first quarter, leading by 13 at one point.
The Badgers shot well in the first quarter, going 8-15. But they couldn’t keep the Boilermakers away from the paint and the free-throw line that was responsible for the daunting deficit.
Wisconsin managed to win the second quarter, with eight of their 18 points coming from Williams. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Myers and Porter cut the lead down to six at halftime.
After the start of the third quarter, the Badgers were in prime position to capitalize off their strong end to the first half as a 3-pointer by Myers evened the game at 51. This would be the closest Wisconsin got to the lead.
Wisconsin's offense came to a screeching halt in the latter half of the third quarter, only scoring three points in six minutes of in-game action. Purdue struggled in their own right, only mustering six points themselves. Both teams were desperate to move onto the final period, in a 57-54 bout that was anyone’s game.
A McCray layup brought the game within one to start the fourth quarter, but the Boilermakers proceeded to go on a 10-0 run resembling that of the first quarter.
Purdue’s run significantly deflated the Badgers’ chances of winning this game. Williams made four free throws in a run to make it a seven-point game with three minutes remaining, but Purdue couldn’t be contained inside the paint. Consecutive layups by Purdue forward Kendall Puryear put an end to any hopes of a final run by Wisconsin.
While it was a closer game than the final score suggests, Wisconsin moved back to .500 on the season, with a 1-7 record on the road. It’s in stark contrast to its 8-3 record while playing at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin will be back at the Kohl Center this Wednesday as they try to upset superstar JuJu Watkins and the No. 4 USC Trojans.
