The Wisconsin women's basketball team will look to extend its eight-game winning streak as it travels to UW-Green Bay Wednesday.
Head coach Lisa Stone said Monday the Badgers will need to play well against the Phoenix, who are undefeated in the 2008-09 season and are favored to win the Horizon League.
They have been good for a long time,"" Stone said. ""It has been a longstanding tradition, the players work very hard '¦ they play very well together.""
After facing Green Bay, Wisconsin will return home to face in-state rival Marquette at the Kohl Center Saturday.
The Marquette game will be the Badgers' eighth in just over two weeks, a grueling stretch for the team. Nevertheless, Stone said they have been able to avoid many of the injury and fatigue issues that often arise with such an intense slate.
""We've survived it,"" she said of the team. ""They've done a great job handling the tough schedule.""
However, some effects of those many games were evident in Wisconsin's win over Northern Illinois Sunday. In that contest, the Badgers jumped out to a large lead in the first half and set a Kohl Center record for shooting percentage by making 61.9 percent of their shots from the field.
But the team seemed to fade as the game wore on, and went from leading by 20 in the second half to a six-point victory. That is something Stone said they could not do later in the season.
""We can't fade like that,"" she said. ""We have to stay focused defensively [and] offensively for 40 minutes.""
According to Stone, the Northern Illinois game should be a learning experience for the team, to show they cannot let up even with a large lead.
""We get the 'W' and we're happy about that, but '¦ there's a lot to be taught,"" she said.
Since starting the season with a loss to South Dakota State, the Badgers have been on an eight-game winning streak, including an upset victory over No. 6 Baylor in the Paradise Jam Tournament.
The ""daily growth"" of the team and its increasing confidence is marked by consistent play overall.
""We're playing very strong defensively, and that's keeping us in games,"" Stone said. Wisconsin's scoring defense is ranked second in the Big Ten, allowing opponents 55.6 points per game on average.
Offensive production from players like sophomore guard Alyssa Karel, who has scored in the double digits all nine games this season and posted 25 points against Northern Illinois, has also been crucial in the Badgers' run.
That success earned the Badgers a tie with Minnesota for the top ranking in the Big Ten.
Stone said although ""having confidence become contagious"" among players has been crucial to the team this season, they have to stay focused on the games to come to achieve results.
""We talk about staying humble,"" she said. ""We haven't done anything yet and we've got to continue to get better. The fact that we've been successful [and] found different ways to win is very encouraging.
