Big Ten Coach of the Year Lisa Stone and her Wisconsin women's basketball team head into this Friday's Big Tournament game looking to expand to new program horizons as well as gain some revenge.
The fourth seeded Badgers take on number five Purdue this Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The team is looking to improve its resume heading into a possible NCAA Tournament bid head coach Lisa Stone feels her team has already earned.
""I think we've done our work,"" she said.
Revenge coming into this game motivates on multiple levels for the Badgers this Friday.
Wisconsin, as just a seventh seed in the tournament last season, won two games and reached the semifinals before losing to Purdue in 2009. Additionally, after easily handing the Boilermakers at the Kohl Center earlier in the season, the Badgers took a tough 58-56 loss at Purdue three weeks ago.
Following that contest, many Wisconsin players hoped to have a third chance at the Boilermakers in the post season. Now, the team has that chance.
""After our second game [against Purdue] everyone left there with a sour feeling in our gut,"" junior guard Alyssa Karel said. ""Just knowing that we now have another chance to play them is a little bit of motivation.""
The Badgers have played Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament three times before and have never come away with a win. Although the Boilermakers are usually a perennial powerhouse and are a team that finished runners up in last year's conference tournament Purdue ended this season with just a 9-9 conference record, 14-15 record overall.
Stone said she isn't about to let down her guard however.
""They're very dangerous,"" she said. ""They're a very experienced team in the Big Ten Tournament. We have to be at our best against one of the best teams in the league.""
From here on out, Wisconsin will be playing away from the Kohl Center, but that factor shouldn't worry this team. In fact, the Badgers have had their best road record in program history, going 10-4 in both opposition arenas and neutral sites. The team knows they have confidence going away from home this year.
""We come with the mindset that wherever we play it's our house and it's going to be our court,"" Karel said. ""We're going to come to the Big Ten Tournament with exactly that mindset.""
Although with post season and tournament play comes an added sense of urgency, the team is looking to approach their game against Purdue the same as any other contest.
""I think in years past, we've taken a different approach,"" senior guard Rae Lin D'Alie said. ""This year, everything is different so I'm sure we'll be taking a different approach from years past.""
Stone said she agrees.
""Why change now? What we have been doing has been working for us and we're staying the course,"" she said.
Wisconsin's game against Purdue Friday, and every Big Ten Tournament game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
