Following their 33-point loss to Minnesota on Jan. 21, Wisconsin women’s basketball endured a brutal nine-game losing streak. Filled with blowouts and narrow defeats alike, a season full of promise seemed to be ending with the familiar sense of defeat that’s lingered around the program for years. Despite their struggles, the Badgers were given a lifeline through the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.
Wisconsin took the opportunity and ran with it, winning their first two games in the tournament and instilling energy back into the program.
Oregon State
The Badgers defeated the Oregon State Beavers 62-58 in the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament on March 19. With the win, the Badgers broke their 10 game losing streak.
The Badgers got off to a flying start in the first quarter. They went on an 11-0 run early into the quarter, with senior guard Destiny Howell scoring seven of those points. After that run however, Wisconsin only scored two points in the last four minutes of the first quarter. The Badgers defense was key to maintaining their lead when the offense struggled.
Wisconsin’s aggressive pressure and heavy paint presence pushed Oregon State into offensive miscues and tough shots. The Beavers only scored 10 points in the first quarter and shot 25% from the field in the period.
Going into the second quarter, the Badgers led 15-10, with Howell leading the way with nine points. Wisconsin's offense got off to another quick start, going on an 11-4 run, but again went cold nearing the end of the quarter.
The Badger defense held strong, holding Oregon State to 12 points. Alongside their defense, Wisconsin dominated the glass throughout the period. The Badgers out rebounded the Beavers 8-3, giving Wisconsin a 31-22 lead at half.
Coming out of the break, Oregon State went on a 10-2 run in the first few minutes of the third quarter, getting them back into the game. The Beavers were electric from behind the arc, shooting 4-for-7 from 3-point range. Wisconsin struggled defensively throughout the quarter, but their offense started to find its rhythm.
Working it inside and finding opportunities in the paint helped the Badgers get consistent scoring in the third. Wisconsin was able to end the quarter on a 9-2 run, giving them a 49-43 lead going into the fourth quarter. An aggressive last few minutes shifted the tide back in their favor, with Dorja Zaja contributing seven points.
After a hot start to the quarter for Wisconsin that gave them a 10 point advantage in the first minutes of the quarter, the Badgers suddenly went cold.
Wisconsin went almost five minutes without scoring any points and the Beavers quickly reduced their deficit to just one point. Needing a lifeline on offense, junior guard Kyrah Daniels came up with the biggest shot of the night.
With 1:54 left to play, Wisconsin held a slim 57-56 lead. Off a steal, the Badgers quickly brought the ball up, with Daniels wide open on the wing. Senior guard Ronnie Porter found Daniels wide open, and Daniels swished it from behind the arc.
Not one minute later, junior guard Laci Steele hit a huge two-point jumper with one second left on the shot clock to give Wisconsin a 62-56 lead, which sealed the deal. After not winning a game in nearly two months, head coach Robin Pingeton got a strong performance out of the Badgers.
Miami
Destiny Howell’s fifth 20-point game of the season helped Wisconsin prevail 72-65 against the Miami Hurricanes to advance to the quarterfinals of the WBIT. An up and down game for the Badgers resulted in their second win in a row.
Wisconsin was firing on all cylinders in the first quarter. The Badger defense was incredibly aggressive, forcing five turnovers and made the Hurricanes uncomfortable throughout the period. Miami shot 2-for-17 from the field, only scoring six points in the quarter. On offense, Wisconsin was working it around the perimeter shooting 3-for-8 from 3-point range. Lily Khran’s two 3-pointers helped the Badgers take control of the game early, leading 17-6 by the end of the first quarter.
When the second quarter began, all of Wisconsin’s momentum suddenly vanished. The Badgers continued to show their dominance on the defensive end, but their offense stalled. The Badgers shot 0-for-4 from behind the arc and 3-for-18 16.7% from the field. On top of their poor shooting, Wisconsin went the first four minutes of the quarter without scoring, an issue that’s allowed their opponents to stay within games.
Both teams struggled to find a consistent rhythm, with sloppy offense and poor shot selection at the forefront. Despite only scoring six points in the period, Wisconsin went into halftime with a 23-15 advantage.
The second half was a completely different story, as both teams couldn’t stop scoring. Wisconsin was perfect from behind the arc in the third period, shooting 7-for-7. Howell knocked down three 3-pointers herself, leading all scorers in the quarter with nine points.
The Badgers scored 29 points throughout the whole quarter, helping them create separation from the Hurricanes. Miami didn’t let up though, with their offense starting to sink some tough shots. The Hurricanes cleaned up their offense, moving the ball freely. Wisconsin still maintained their lead thanks to their blistering efficiency leading 52-37 heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter brought some complications for the Wisconsin offense. Wisconsin claimed their largest lead of the game at 16 points with 8:20 remaining, but miscues and turnovers allowed the Hurricanes to chip away at the Badger lead.
Miami turned it up a notch and started aggressively pressuring Wisconsin, which gave the Hurricanes a window towards a comeback. The Hurricanes matched Wisconsin’s third quarter offense, shooting 6-for-12 from the 3-point line.
Miami had the green light to shoot, taking advantage with their season on the line. The Hurricanes scored 28 points, which put them down by two with 45 seconds left. Great inside work by freshman center Dorja Zaja resulted in a layup with 37 seconds remaining, which put the Badgers up by four. A missed 3-pointer by Vittoria Blasigh on the following Miami possession gave way for the Badgers to put the game away with closing free throws.
After losing 10 straight games prior to the WBIT, Wisconsin claimed a huge win on the road against a tough Miami team. As the Badgers advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament, they will take on Harvard University at the Kohl Center on Thursday.
