Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne was no match for the Badgers' size and energy Sunday, as the Wisconsin women's basketball team defeated the Mastodons 85-69 at the Kohl Center.
I thought our team came in with energy,"" head coach Lisa Stone said. ""We've got a veteran team. They started shooting around ahead of time and I knew they were ready.""
Wisconsin showed a spark right from the tip-off, as freshman forward Tara Steinbauer scored the team's first seven points. Steinbauer would end with a career-high 16 points in her first start of the season.
""Tara is very aggressive and she'll go after it,"" senior guard Janese Banks said. ""She'll sacrifice her body to get the ball on the block. She takes challenges very well ... She's been earning her stripes in practice.""
Senior guard Jolene Anderson credits Steinbauer's strong work ethic for her success.
""She's always everywhere; she's always giving 100 percent,"" Anderson said. ""She took advantage of [the starting position]. She's never down. She's always positive and she just works her butt off.""
Anderson led the Badgers once again with 26 points and eight rebounds - both game highs. Banks added 19 points for Wisconsin, complementing Steinbauer's play inside.
""To add another player to the party'¦ the fact that we have somebody that can finish inside, we're going to go to her and it helps us a ton,"" Stone said.
The Mastodons broke a Kohl Center record with 37 attempted three-pointers. Senior guard Johanna Lewis-Carlisle kept the Mastodons close in the first half and led IPFW with 24 points, including four from behind the arc.
""That is a tremendous player right there,"" Stone said. ""[She] has a tremendous hesitation, can shoot the three and get to the basket.""
After a few defensive adjustments at halftime, the Badgers expanded what was a 44-36 lead at halftime to a 26-point lead with 12 minutes left in the second half.
""We're back home for five straight games, so you just can't go out there and be lackadaisical on defense,"" Anderson said. ""Coach Stone brings energy each and every day, so it's just a matter of knowing what we have to do and getting it done.""
Wisconsin will play a series of four games at home, starting with an in-state battle against UW-Milwaukee Tuesday.
Badgers lose big in WNIT quarterfinal rematch
In the inaugural women's Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Wisconsin suffered an 84-60 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., Thursday night. The Badgers never recovered from a 31-9 Cavalier run to open the game.
Anderson led the Badgers with 18 points and nine rebounds. Banks had 14 points, and Steinbauer added 10 in the losing effort.
