After getting thumped by South Dakota State to open the 2008-'09 campaign, the Wisconsin women's basketball team wasn't getting much respect. But since that 20-point road loss, the Badgers have pulled off eight straight wins, including an upset of then-No. 6 Baylor. With two intrastate games remaining on its pre-Big Ten slate, Wisconsin isn't exactly under the radar anymore.
I'm very encouraged by our players, but we also have to remember that when you knock off someone like Baylor and you're not supposed to, that now it catches somebody's eye,"" head coach Lisa Stone said Monday. ""Really for us, it's just daily growth. We focus on what we do and try to have our team get better every day and not get wrapped up in what other people think.""
Though the season is still young, here are some early-season grades for Stone's new squad.
Defense: A-
Perhaps the most surprising feature of this year's squad is its ability to stop teams. Wisconsin's ""pack"" style of defense has brought success on that side of the floor, keeping the Badgers competitive with nearly everyone. Wisconsin has held its opponents to 56.2 points per game, second-best in the Big Ten.
""Overall, the foundation is that we're playing very, very strong defensively and that's keeping us in games,"" Stone said.
The Badgers are giving up a league-high 38.5 percent from behind the arc, but if they keep up their intensity on D, they may surprise some Big Ten teams.
Offense: C
Losing 60 percent of its offense from last year, Wisconsin hasn't exactly broken any scoring records. Although Sunday's 61.9 shooting percentage from the floor against Northern Illinois set a Kohl Center record, the Badgers have been susceptible to scoring lulls and poor shot-clock awareness in the second half, allowing many teams to make the final eight minutes interesting.
Balance has been a positive though, as at least eight different Badgers have scored in all nine of their games.
Coaching: B+
Many thought head coach Lisa Stone was out after last season's disappointing second-round loss in the WNIT. But Stone found a pair of new associates for this season in Kathi Bennett and Oties Epps who have matched intensity with basketball savvy. This year's young team already has a completely different appeal. Wisconsin's athleticism and chemistry paired with intensity, patience and balance on both ends of the floor is an equation for success and evidently comes directly from the UW sideline.
Overall: B
The Badgers have a long way to go to compete with Big Ten heavyweights Ohio State and Purdue, but so far they are off to a good start. To have a team with just one senior who has seen limited minutes due to injury pull off eight straight wins shows immense promise. If Wisconsin can maintain its stifling defense and keep opponents off the offensive glass, it has the ability to become a solid postseason threat.
Team MVP: Alyssa Karel
If the Badgers had a face to this team, it would be that of sophomore guard Alyssa Karel. Karel has led the team in scoring (14.0) and minutes (34.8) per game this season and has been the go-to player in the clutch.
""She's a special player,"" NIU head coach Carol Owens said Sunday after Karel scored 25 points against the Huskies. ""She's very savvy and she knows how to get her shots '¦ That's what makes her a really good player.""
Karel sunk the game-winning midrange jumper against Baylor, then hit a deep three against UW-Milwaukee to force a second OT.
""The thing about Alyssa, she's very even-keeled,"" Stone said. ""She doesn't let her highs get too high or her lows get too low. She is consistent in her approach.""
Best Newcomer: Ashley Thomas
Averaging just 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds a game and a bit undersized offensively, freshman forward Ashley Thomas' true presence is found on the defensive side of the floor. Stone loves her style of play, as Thomas, in six starts, has used her quickness to get around opponent posts.
""Ashley Thomas is right now one of our best defenders at the four position,"" Stone said at the Paradise Jam. ""And with matchups right away, it gives us some early energy and makes a statement early.""
Underclassmen who fill their roles like Thomas and freshman 3-point threat Jade Davis will be important to the team's success. This year's team looks like something that Wisconsin has been lacking from years past - one integrated, balanced and consistent unit.
