A season-high 13,320 fans packed the Kohl Center to celebrate Senior Day Sunday afternoon as the Wisconsin women's basketball team hosted Iowa in its season finale.
The huge Iowa contingent saw their visiting Hawkeyes stop the Badgers' five-game win streak and beat Wisconsin 87-78 to grab its first Big Ten crown since 1990.
I thought the intensity in this game was incredible,"" Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. ""I thought we came out incredibly focused and kept that focus even when Wisconsin got to within one point.""
On a day honoring the seniors, it was the freshmen who played like veterans for Wisconsin (9-9 Big Ten, 16-12 overall). Forward Lin Zastrow led the Badgers with 17 points and guard Alyssa Karel added 15. Forward Tara Steinbauer also chipped in 11.
""They played fantastic and they just show our depth,"" said senior guard Janese Banks, who scored 10 points against Iowa (13-5, 20-9). ""They're not afraid to do anything. They're not freshmen anymore - they're just basketball players.""
Senior guard Jolene Anderson, who scored 42 points the first time the teams played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, worked hard for just 10 Sunday.
""She schooled us the first time we played them,"" Bluder said of Anderson. ""That was a little embarrassing. We wanted to make sure that she didn't have another career night against us.""
Bluder's team set the tone early with stifling man-to-man defense, limiting anything inside for the Badgers.
Offensively, Iowa jumped out to a 27-7 lead on 11-for-14 shooting and stayed hot, shooting a school record 74 percent in the first half.
Wisconsin, meanwhile, shot a chilly 32 percent from the floor in the first half. Zastrow and Steinbauer kept the Badgers in the game, combining for 19 of the team's 30 points in the first half.
""They got some early rhythm and that took us out,"" Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone said. ""We weren't getting stops, and then we were rushing shots. Our shot selection was quick and a bit erratic to start the game. Once we settled in we shot the ball better.""
Iowa's 6'2' swing Johanna Solverson took full advantage of matchup troubles for Wisconsin in the first half, scoring 17 points in the first 11 minutes of the game.
""Johanna is a big guard and causes an issue that way because of her size,"" Stone said. ""Secondly, she's a six-year senior. She's been around a long time. She's endured some injuries and come back with a lot of gusto. Her game has really skyrocketed since the last time we played her.
""She wanted this one a lot,"" Stone added. ""I could see it in her face at the end of the game.""
The Badgers hung around, and Anderson hit her first jumper with 24 seconds left in the half to pull the Badgers to within nine. But a Solverson lay-up at the buzzer gave her 23 points and put the Hawkeyes up 41-30 at the break.
""It was kind of a one-woman wrecking crew there in the first half,"" Stone said of Solverson.
The Badgers were able to work the ball through the post and draw fouls in the second half. Defensively, the Badgers were able to set up full-court pressure to slow Iowa down, but every attack the Badgers could muster was countered by the Hawkeyes.
Karel closed the gap with a couple of 3-pointers, and a pair of Banks free throws brought the game to within one with 4:30 to go. But the Wisconsin run was answered by a Solverson isolation step-back trey to put the Hawks back up by four.
Up two with 2:45 left, Iowa's junior forward Wendy Ausdemore hit a 3-pointer from the baseline to stop the Wisconsin momentum and put the Badgers away for good.
Solverson finished with a career-high 31 points for the Hawkeyes.
Wisconsin will assume the No. 8 seed going into the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis next weekend, where they will face Illinois Thursday evening.
""The Big Ten Tournament is just another season really. Everyone is going to start off with square one,"" Anderson said. ""I think our team is determined in whoever we play and we've just got to put our mind to it.""
""I like the fact that our team right now is believers,"" Stone said. ""They have obviously demonstrated how to overcome [adversity] and be courageous and I feel good with that strength going into the Big Ten Tournament.""
