Super Bowl Sunday proved equally super for the Wisconsin women’s basketball team as the Badgers thumped the Penn State Nittany Lions in University Park, Pa., 77-59.
“You’re not going to get any breaks on the road,” Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone said. “Our kids hung in there. They didn’t at one minute flinch. And they haven’t all year. I am so proud of them for that. And that is what I continue to profess to people.”
Senior guard Jolene Anderson shot a blistering 65 percent on 13-20 shooting from the floor en route to a 30-point, 14-rebound performance to lead Wisconsin.
“She put this team on her back, she really did,” Stone said of her team’s floor leader. “She played both ends of the floor. She rebounded for us. She defended. She scored for us. I can’t say enough about her.”
Freshman forward Lin Zastrow also played well off the bench, scoring 18 points and 10 rebounds—both season highs—to record her first career double-double.
“Lin showed some poise, some strength, some confidence inside,” Stone said.
Wisconsin out rebounded Penn State 43-27 and shot 50 percent from the floor. The Badgers successfully pounded the ball inside and racked up 38 points in the paint.
The Nittany Lions came out in the second half looking to make up the 12-point deficit at the recess, but they were ice cold from the floor. Wisconsin held on to secure the win as PSU scored just two field goals in the last six minutes of the game.
Wisconsin (11-10, 4-7 Big Ten) picked up the season sweep after defeating the Nittany Lions twice in 12 days. Not only was the victory the first road win this season for the Badgers, it was also their first ever Happy Valley win in 15 tries.
“When you look at the stats, a lot of things don’t pop up in play,” Stone said.
“But our bench was electric and the silence in here, that is generally pretty electric after the game, was probably was one of the greatest sounds we’ve heard all year because we’ve finally broke the curse here at Bryce Jordan Center.”
Wisconsin, which has now won three of its last four games, has a whole week to prepare for No. 17 Ohio State, when the Buckeyes and Badgers square off at the Kohl Center Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPN2.
—gopsusports.cstv.com
contributed to this report.
