Wisconsin women’s basketball once again left it to the final quarter to come away victorious, as they narrowly beat the Penn State Nittany Lions 74-73 at the Kohl Center Sunday.
The Badgers, in their first season under head coach Robin Pingeton, now have their best start in the Big Ten in 15 years with a 3-1 record.
Wisconsin looked stronger early against the Nittany Lions compared to their last two games. Offensively, the Badgers were very composed, moving the ball efficiently to create various open 1-on-1 opportunities. It led to a 47.1% field goal percentage and 20 first quarter points. Wisconsin, however, couldn’t run away from Penn State as the Nittany Lions kept it close all quarter. Penn State’s Kiyomi McMiller hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 16 with two minutes remaining in the quarter. The Badgers then scored four consecutive points to take a 20-16 lead going into the second quarter.
The Badgers went on a 10-2 run to start the second quarter, which gave them a 10 point lead. But the Nittany Lions quickly flipped the switch, storming back and putting the game back into a tight battle. Both teams implemented a full court press, but it allowed for fast breaks on the offensive end, where the bulk of the points came from. Penn State went on a 6-0 run to end the quarter, cutting Wisconsin's lead down to 40-38.
Coming out of the half, the game continued to follow a familiar, back-and-forth tone. But with 4:30 left, the tide suddenly shifted. Penn State went on a 17-4 run to end the quarter, taking a 63-55 lead and shifting the momentum in their favor.
The offensive game plan for Wisconsin, especially in the fourth, was for senior guard Ronnie Porter to find an open Howell or Daniels for a shot. Both players were unstoppable throughout the game, particularly in the fourth, becoming go-to scoring options. They would clump together inside the arc and shoot outside for the ball, with usually one of them finding enough space to dribble or shoot.
All game, the Badgers struggled to shoot from three, going 0-for-9 in the first half and over the first three quarters of the game, and only drained one. This was a significant issue that prevented the Badgers from creating a bigger advantage over the Nittany Lions, as they struggled to establish any true consistency from deep.
Finally, with 6:46 left to play, Wisconsin came to life. Down 66-59, the Badgers went on a 14-0 run that completely turned the game around. Daniels and Howel were instrumental during this run, but the biggest shot of the game came from senior guard Breauna Ware with 1:12 left, as she shot a deep contested 3-pointer that clinched the win for the Badgers. The Badgers were able to fend off the Nittany Lions for the final minute with some clutch free throws and disciplined, foul-free defense.
Wisconsin now has a two game win streak in the BIG Ten, a great start in a tough schedule. The grit from the Badgers has been a staple so far this season, always fighting back and finding ways to win. The Badgers are quietly turning into a dark horse as the season continues.
