Badgers Fall to UW-Green Bay, 77-52
November 24, 2002 | Women's Basketball
The Wisconsin women's basketball team fell to the UW-Green Bay Phoenix, 77-52, Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center. The Badgers drop to 0-2 on the season while the Phoenix improve to 1-1.
'Green Bay is a very talented team,' coach Albright said. 'It's no surprise they were picked to win their conference. Those kids have played a lot of minutes together and, quite honestly, they looked like that. '
Starting the game off strong, the Badgers were able to remain competitive during the first half, with sophomore Ebba Gebisa converting a three-point play after hitting a layup and drawing a foul, bringing UW up 9-7 in the first five minutes of play.
But UW's momentum was cut short when the Phoenix went on a 9-0 run, hitting three-straight three pointers, taking a seven-point lead midway through the first half. Green Bay hit eight of 11 three-point attempts by halftime.
Sophomore Stephanie Rich broke the run by hitting a shot from the field cutting the Phoenix lead to five with a score of 18-15. Freshman Jordan Wilson followed suit, hitting back-to-back field goals and a free throw, bringing the Badgers within two at 20-18. Wilson scored her five points in the first half, topping her career high of two points set last Friday against Northern Illinois.
Following the rain of Green Bay three pointers, UW freshman Ashley Josephson hit back-to-back baskets to bring the score to 26-31. Senior Leah Hefte hit the last shot of the half, bringing the score to 26-34 at halftime.
Beginning the second half down by six, the Badgers were not able to regain control. The gap continued to widen as the Phoenix lit up the basket. Senior forward Kristy Loiselle led Green Bay with 20 points, going four-for-four from three-point territory.
Wisconsin was not able to get any closer than within six points. The squad went 10-for-26 from the field, shooting 38.5 percent in the second half. The Badgers hit two three pointers in 10 attempts.
'We're certainly going to keep working,' Albright said. 'We recruited these players and we know what they're capable of doing individually and as a team, and we'll keep that vision. '
The defeat marked the widest point spread in a loss versus UWGB in Badgerball history. A 91-75 loss at UW- Green Bay on Dec. 4, 1990, a 16-point margin, held the previous record.
The Badgers look ahead to the Pepperdine Tournament, where they will face University of Texas-Arlington and Pepperdine or St. John's University. The competition will be Nov. 29-30 in Malibu, Calif.
