Even though the Wisconsin women's basketball team (23-9) has found a substantial amount of success this season while playing on its home court at the Kohl Center, traveling to challenge Wyoming (26-9) in hopes of winning the Women's National Invitational Tournament is motivation enough without the large fan base there for moral support.
The Badgers are the only team left standing in a postseason tournament from the Big Ten Conference. Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone said she is very impressed with her team's progression over the course of the season, as well as its performance so far this month in her first coaching experience in a postseason tournament.
This tournament is also a first for all of the Badger players, but they have not shown a sign of inexperience in postseason play.
""I'm so proud of this group. They have continued to grow up every single game, every single day,"" Stone said.
Junior guards Jolene Anderson and Janese Banks have been demonstrating leadership for this young Badger squad, and that can easily be noticed in their emotions on the court and their statistic contributions to the team. Anderson currently has 108 tournament points—just nine points away from breaking the 116-point record set in 2005 by Jenny Lingor of Southwest Missouri State.
Banks has also stepped up her performance in postseason play, going from an average of 13.2 points per conference game to just under 17.8 points per game in the WNIT.
""[Anderson and Banks] are a one-two punch, they really are, both offensively and defensively,"" Stone said.
Wisconsin has also been fueled by the contributions of its freshmen, especially from the spirit of point guard Rae Lin D'Alie and the scoring of post player Mariah Dunham. What D'Alie lacks in height, she makes up for in spunk, speed and steadiness. Though she has struggled in the last few contests, D'Alie has kept her head up and has continued to use these games as learning experiences.
""[D'Alie] is trying so hard and she's a fighter. That's why she is Rae Lin D'Alie. And she'll strap them up tight and be ready on Saturday, I know she will,"" Stone said on D'Alie's recent struggles.
Freshman Teah Gant has found herself more floor time late in the season along with Dunham, who recently found a spot in the starting line-up. Gant has offered a spark from the bench on both ends of the court, including running the offense as point guard when D'Alie is not in the game.
""Noteworthy is Teah Gant who comes in, offers us length on the perimeter, had five assists for us [against Western Kentucky] and has really kept things in it for us,"" Stone said. ""When someone goes down, someone steps up ... That's a great credit to this team, there's tremendous balance.""
Wyoming has also made major strides since the beginning of the season and has three players with a scoring average in double figures. Junior forward Hanna Zavecz is leading the Cowgirls with an average of 14 points per game, followed closely by classmates Justyna Podziemska with 13 points per game and Jodi Bolerjack with 11.5 points per game.
Zavecz had a hot hand Wednesday night, scoring 28 points for Wyoming as it triumphed over Kansas State in triple overtime, and has also led her team in scoring in three of its five postseason games.
The Badgers expressed that their job is not yet done and that everything comes down to the final game of the tournament. Banks said her team is playing so well because everyone is on the same page, having fun and their coaches are doing a great job.
Banks added, ""Coming into this thing from day one, back in the summer time, this team has been just gelling and it's a blessing from God just to be on this team right now ... I love my teammates and I feel like that's why we are making this run right now.""
The tip-off of the WNIT championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Mountain Time tomorrow afternoon in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,000 people in Laramie, Wyo. The game will be televised locally on MyMadisonTV.
