Most coaches have to worry about breaking in new players early in the season. Lucky for Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone, her team did not graduate any seniors.
The team that finished in the middle of the Big Ten last year was picked in preseason polls to finish second in its conference behind powerhouse Ohio State. Wisconsin also appeared in the top 25 teams in the preseason Women's Basketball Magazine Poll and the Athlon Poll.
Is this surprising? No. That, however, does not mean the Badgers will have it easy. Playing down to other team's levels has been a major problem for Wisconsin in the past, as well as the pressure that rides on conference contests.
The Badgers, however, have weapons other teams could only dream of possessing.
Senior guards Jolene Anderson and Janese Banks are the top two Big Ten returning scorers. Their leadership methods are very different from one another, yet things seem to fall in place when they are on the same page.
Anderson was named preseason Player of the Year for the Big Ten. She is a very hard worker and seldom wears her emotions on her sleeve. Everything Anderson does on the court is well thought out and well executed. She plays more with her head.
Banks, on the other hand, plays more with her heart. This girl is smooth and crafty. She can navigate her way through any type of trap on the court and put the ball through the hoop.
Wisconsin's speedy little spitfire, sophomore point guard Rae Lin D'Alie, controls the speed of the Badger offense. She is consistent, steady and carries the attitude of a true champion. Watching this 5'3\ energizer bunny play is a treat in itself. I don't think I have ever seen a basketball player work that hard, carry so much intensity and have that much fun at the same time. And what's even more amazing, D'Alie's do-or-die mentality is the same every game.
How many teams out there have a post player who can drain a three? Sophomore Mariah Dunham scored the first points of the 2007-08 season by hitting a three pointer against St. Norbert Thursday night. Talk about a wake up call for the Green Knights.
Big Ten teams will find it difficult to matchup with Dunham. If they put a tall post player on her, she will knock down a three and draw that long body out of the lane. If they put a shorter player on her, she will post up and take the ball to the hole.
Senior Danielle Ward and junior Caitlin Gibson will be threats in the lane, both offensively and defensively. These two combine for an average of 10 rebounds per game. Both Ward and Gibson started in 25 games last season.
In their college debut, rookies Tara Steinbauer, Lin Zastrow and Alyssa Karel combined for 37 points. In fact, Karel led the team in scoring against St. Norbert with 18 points. Both Karel and Steinbauer were among top recruits from the state of Minnesota. Zastrow, a freshman from Jefferson, was named AP Player of the Year and Wisconsin Miss Basketball at the end for her senior year of high school.
The remaining six Badgers will give coach Stone depth off the bench. Sophomore Teah Gant has improved substantially since she stepped foot onto the collegiate basketball court. She has a lot of athletic potential and knows how to read the ball off the rim. Thus, Gant is likely to be one of Wisconsin's top rebounders this season.
Coach Stone has many accomplishments of her own, including her rank among the top 25 in overall winning percentage among active Division I coaches. Her 22-year career record is 431-182 (.703). Last season, Stone's Badgers set a program record by registering 23 wins.
Now tell me this, who's to say this Wisconsin women's basketball team doesn't have the potential of having another record breaking season?
If you would like to challenge Crystal to a 3-point contest, e-mail her at crowns@wisc.edu.
