Snow wasn't the only thing accumulating in Madison Tuesday night, as the Wisconsin women's basketball team cruised to a 79-59 victory over UW-Milwaukee.
Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone knew the Panthers would utilize the post play of preseason Horizon League Player of the Year Traci Edwards. Edwards would score 10 of her team high 17 points in the first half, but the Badger depth was too much for the Panthers.
Wisconsin picked up its defense after halftime, holding UW-M to just 27 points in the second frame. The Badgers tied a season high with eight blocks while shutting down Edwards and company inside.
What I see is that our team is starting to grow,"" Stone said. ""Our defense really tuned up and we played solid together. They were going inside and our weak side was there and we were able to get some steals and get out in transition.""
Senior guard Janese Banks led Wisconsin with a season high 23 points and senior forward Danielle Ward added 10 in the Badger victory.
""Janese Banks was on fire and our team found her and she did a great job on the offensive boards,"" Stone said.""
Sophomore Rae Lin D'Alie had an impressive stat line with eight points, six rebounds, seven assists and a steal while running the Wisconsin offense at point guard.
""My job out there is to come and run the team and I try to contribute in different ways,"" D'Alie said. ""When I tend to bring more energy, the other parts of my game come along with it.""
Freshman Tara Steinbauer, in her second career start, picked up two fouls in the first five minutes of the game, sending her to the bench for the majority of the first half. But Steinbauer took control in the second and scored two quick baskets to spark an 11-2 run to start the second period.
Consecutive high-low post scores by Steinbauer and junior Caitlin Gibson extended the second half Badger lead to 14, and Wisconsin never looked back.
""[Gibson] gave us some quality minutes with some nice rebounds and defense inside,"" Stone said. ""She and Tara had a nice little one-two touch going on in there and I like to see that.""
On 1-for-3 first half shooting, Anderson scored her first three points from downtown with 52 seconds remaining in the first half, spurring a 5-0 run to end the half tied at 32. The pressure led to a season-low 11 points, but Anderson was just one rebound short of her 21st career double-double.
""I thought they did a nice job defensively on Jolene. They doubled and switched on ball screens on her and played some others straight up, and because of that we were able to score.""
""I think Lisa has done a nice job with this team,"" said UW-M head coach Sandy Botham. ""There's no doubt that she's got the most depth she's ever had and they have a lot of different options now, which makes them that much more dangerous.
