Badgers Win at Green Bay
December 13, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Wisconsin used a 15-2 run midway through the first half to break open a tie game and defeat UW-Green Bay 56-48 in front of a record crowd of 2,501 at the Resch Center in Green Bay. The Badgers move to 4-3 on the season, while the Phoenix suffer their third straight loss to move to 5-3.
The game was even in the early-going and the two teams played to five lead changes and two tie scores over the first ten minutes of action. With the game knotted at 19 points apiece, however, Wisconsin stepped up its defensive pressure and allowed Green Bay only two points over the final 10:49 of the opening frame.
The Badgers held the Phoenix scoreless for eight minutes as they mounted their decisive run. Guard Stephanie Rich broke out of a scoring slump to key the UW offense in the first half with four three-point baskets and 16 points in the first twenty minutes of action. Green Bay's only points during the last half of the period came on an Amanda Popp lay-up with 3:46 left on the clock, as Wisconsin went into the locker room with a 34-21 advantage.
Green Bay fought back and held the Badgers to only one field goal over the first eight minutes of the second half. On the offensive end, the Phoenix outscored UW 12-2 over the span to narrow the Badger margin to only three points, 36-33, with 13:18 remaining.
UW guard Ashley Josephson responded to the Phoenix' charge with five points to lead an 11-1 run that pushed Wisconsin's lead back to the half-time cushion of 13 points, 47-34, with eight minutes left to play. Green Bay whittled the lead back down to eight points three times down the stretch, but they could get no closer as UW was 6-12 from the free-throw line to preserve the victory.
Wisconsin used its superior size to dominate the inside game, outrebounding the Phoenix 46-32, blocking eight field-goal attempts, and altering many more shots. 'It was a great defensive effort by our team,' said Wisconsin Head Coach Lisa Stone. 'We are trying to hammer home the fact that we need to play defense and rebound, and I think we did a great job of that.'
Rich, who finished with a season-high 19 points was the only Badger in double figures. Lello Gebisa recorded game-highs in rebounds (10) and blocked shots (5) to go along with seven points. Josephson added nine points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, and Ebba Gebisa contributed seven points.
Abby Scharlow led the Phoenix with 19 points and six rebounds, while Popp finished with eight points.
Wisconsin continues its intra-state competition with a game against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Monday, December 22 at 7:00 PM at the Kohl Center.
