Printed in black ink across the bottom of their sneakers is the word \believe,"" which the women's basketball team continues to do as they prepare to play Michigan State tonight at home. Coming off a three-game losing streak to Minnesota (92-85), Indiana (70-63) and Penn State (63-49), the Badgers are looking to turn things around.
""I think we played a lot of games thinking we were underrated and not getting the credit we deserved,"" senior forward Jessie Stomski said. ""Then we got it. We were ranked five in the nation, and we couldn't find anything to have attitude about. I think we lost the hunger and the fuel, but now it's back. We've lost three in a row and people are doubting us. We don't have much of the season left, so it's now or never.""
The Badgers have eight games left in the regular season, including their duel with the Spartans tonight. On Saturday, the team plays Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. For now, the team is focusing on getting back to where it was when it was on a 15-game winning streak.
""We really worked on getting our team values back up and what we believed in at the beginning of the season,"" senior guard Kyle Black said.
""I see us being what we were at the beginning of the season, which is all out hustle, pumping each other up throughout the game, playing team basketball where in the past we've been playing individual basketball. I see things going back to the way it used to be,"" she continued.
Wisconsin was at Michigan State for the schools' last meeting Jan. 10, where the Badgers won 86-78 in double overtime.
""We took them to double overtime and pulled out a win in the end, but it was a very hard-fought game and we beat them at their place, so I'm sure they want to come here and beat us on our home territory,"" Black said. ""It's going to be a very competitive game and we can't think about Purdue until after we give Michigan State a hard battle.""
The return of freshman forward Ebba Gebisa could be what the team needs to rejuvenate itself, Head Coach Jane Albright said, but most likely she will not be ready for tonight's game.
""They re-evaluated her this morning,"" Albright said at a press conference Monday. ""Ebba would be a breath of fresh air. ... To expect her to come in and play at full force is unrealistic. I think for Purdue it's very realistic; I think we would be lucky to have her back by then.""
Tonight will be key to turning the team around, according to Black and Stomski. But getting back to where it was is not the team's goal.
""We're not trying to go backwards,"" Stomski said. ""We're not looking at a time earlier in the season and trying to get back there. We're looking at the future and how to get the team to win the rest of our games.\
