Before the first Badger/Gopher meeting there were two questions:
- Now that Sydney Hilliard has transformed her game, can she transform the Badgers?
- And while doing so, can she ensure Jonathon Tsipis’ return?
The answers are no and no.
Well…there may be a Stapleton exception which portals you to a fifth dimension and keeps Jonathon Tsipis employed. Last night the Badgers won their biggest game since the Bobby Kelsey era taking down #12 Ohio State 75-70 in Madison. It wasn’t a fluke.
Imani “double-double” Lewis had a career night with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Lewis even knocked down her first three of the season and the third of her Badger career.
Sydney Hilliard had a solid night with 13 points and 7 assists. If there was a surprise, it was
Sara Stapleton. The 6’3” Badger center from Blaine, with the vertical leap of a um…badger, contributed 13 points and 10 rebound helping to limit the damage down by OSU’s post players. Stapleton pretty much doubled her normal game output.
Two keys to the game were an 11-0 Wisconsin run mid-way through the 2nd quarter giving the Badgers a 33-27 lead. From that point, the Buckeyes appeared to have one of those Buckeye quandaries where the coaching staff and the players kept waiting for some one to step up and take over. Meanwhile, they kept launching bricks especially from beyond the arc and from the foul line. When Lewis received a technical early in the fourth quarter for exuberantly demonstrating how she had been hacked, OSU rallied to tie; but then let the Badgers slip away and prepare for their trip to Minneapolis.
Wisconsin was 0-4 after their January 3rd overtime loss to Minnesota in Madison 83-88. They enter the rematch in Minneapolis 2-13. Their first win came on January 31st at the Kohl Center over the hapless Illini 69-57 and ended a Badger 11 game conference losing streak. The usual suspects led the way for the Wisconsin: forward Imani Lewis posted 22 points and 16 rebounds and guard Sydney Hilliard 18 points and 8 rebounds. They got help from guard
Estella Moschkau with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Illinois’ was paced by Jeanae Terry with 28 points and 11 rebounds.
The win came despite the Badgers committing 20 turnovers to the Illini’s 14. Illinois had 12 steals; Wisconsin 7. These are normal negative margins for Wisconsin. The Badgers commit 17.2 turnovers/game while causing 11.1 a -6.17 differential. They are last in the B1G by almost 2 turnovers/game. By reference, Minnesota is 10th with 16.1 turnovers/game while causing 14.8. That’s a -2.07 differential. Even In their win versus Ohio State Wisconsin committed 15 turnovers to the Buckeyes 6. OSU converted the turnovers into 23 points while UW converted for 9 points. The Badgers usually dig themselves a big turnover hole.
Then, to climb out of the hole, they use a sand pail shovel. They are 13th in offense 65.7/points per game and last in the Big Ten in scoring margin; losing by -11.4 points per game. In their five games before defeating Ohio State, Wisconsin defeated Illinois by 12 but lost to Michigan State by -32 points, Nebraska -16, Maryland -36 and Penn State -24. Their losses generally are decisive.
Meanwhile Sydney Hilliard with 15.9 points/game and Imani Lewis with 15.1 point/game continue their solid seasons. However, in the first Badger/Gopher game the leading scorer was
Julie Pospisilova with 28 points and 7 rebounds. Hilliard (21 points and 11 assists) and Lewis (13 points and 5 rebounds) did their part. But, once again, Badger turnovers did THEIR part. Wisconsin committed 21 turnovers to Minnesota’s 10. The Badgers had 6 steals to the Gopher’s 9. Points off turnovers: Minnesota 25 and Wisconsin 9. Badger turnovers helped juice the Minneosta offense: Hubbard led with 24 points, Sissoko had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Bagwell-Katalinich 16 and Scalia and Powell 11 each.
If there’s a single lesson, It’s that Wisconsin battles itself as much as the opponent.
Badgers Big Ten Record (2-13)
Wins: Illinois 69-57, Ohio State 75-70
Losses: @ Iowa 78-85, Rutgers 56-70, @ Michigan 49-92, Minnesota 83-88, Northwestern 55-80, @ Indiana 49-74, Michigan 40-69, Maryland 70-79, @ Purdue 55-56, Michigan State 62-94, @ Nebraska 68-84, @ Maryland 48-84, @ Penn State 74-98
Sydney Hilliard’s Last Six Games
Team | Pts | Reb | Asst | Min | Foul | | | | |
Michigan State | 15 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 1 | | | | |
Nebraska | 16 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 3 | | | | |
Illinois | 18 | 8 | 4 | 34 | 2 | | | | |
Maryland | 20 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 1 | | | | |
Penn State | 18 | 6 | 3 | 35 | 1 | | | | |
Ohio State | 13 | 2 | 7 | 37 | 1 | | | | |
Imani Lewis Last Six Games:
Team | Pts | Reb | Asst | Min | Foul | | | | |
Michigan State | 17 | 12 | 0 | 29 | 2 | | | | |
Nebraska | 19 | 13 | 0 | 34 | 1 | | | | |
Illinois | 22 | 16 | 1 | 35 | 2 | | | | |
Maryland | 13 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 0 | | | | |
Penn State | 18 | 10 | 0 | 30 | 2 | | | | |
Ohio State | 27 | 14 | 1 | 33 | 3 | | | | |
Probable Starters:
HGT | POS | YR | PLAYER | MIN | AVG | REB |
5’11” | G | So | Sydney Hilliard | 33.5 | 15.9 | 5.5 |
6’1” | F | Jr | Lewis Imani | 30.6 | 15.1 | 9.0 |
6’0” | G | So | Julie Pospisilova | 29.6 | 7.1 | 3.4 |
6’3” | F/C | So | Sara Stapleton | 18.3 | 6.7 | 3.4 |
6’1” | G | Gr | Estella Moschkau | 25.7 | 6.5 | 2.8 |
| | | | | | |
Bench:
HGT | POS | YR | PLAYER | MIN | AVG | REB |
6’0” | G | RJr | Brooke Schramdk | 16.0 | 2.6 | 1.9 |
5’11” | F | So | Tara Stauffacher | 15.7 | 2.5 | 1.6 |
6’2” | F/C | Fr | Kate Thompson | 11.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
6’1” | G | Fr | Hallie Douglass | 17.8 | 3.1 | 2.1 |
6’2” | G | RJr | Alex Luehring | 6.9 | 1.5 | 0.9 |