New Year's Resolution: Continue 2008 success
December 31, 2008 | Women's Basketball
While the end of 2008 has been mostly successful for the UW women's basketball team, the Badgers hope to ring in 2009 with a win against Illinois on New Year's Day. Wisconsin takes to the road for the first time this Big Ten Conference season and meets the Illini at 7 p.m. Thursday inside Assembly Hall.
For those looking to celebrate the New Year with the Badgers, be sure to log onto UWBadgers.com just before game time to read and participate in the interactive Courtside Blog. A link will be available tag=Women%27s%20Basketball%20Blog"> --> HERE at game time. You can hear all the Badger action live on WIBA, 1310 AM with Mike Heller on the call or on Yahoo!Radio for a fee.
Live stats can be accessed event=715529&school=ill&sport=wbaskbl&camefrom=&startschool=&"> --> here and there is a code=ill&media=86313"> --> Web stream available for a fee.
The Badgers won their first Big Ten game Monday night, knocking off Minnesota 62-52 in the lone meeting this season. Junior guard Teah Gant scored a career-high 17 points and knocked down 11-of-12 from the free throw line in the win. The Badgers trailed by as many as 13 early after the Gophers rattled off 18 unanswered points but Wisconsin battled for its 11th win this season.
After Monday's win, Wisconsin moved into first place in the conference for scoring defense, allowing just 55.8 points per game.
Illinois opened up the season on a high note, winning three straight but since then, has lost nine of its last 10 games. The Illini played at Penn State Sunday and despite leading for most of the game, fell 54-51 to the Nittany Lions. Jenna Smith leads Illinois in scoring, averaging 18.5 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten. Lacey Simpson contributes 12.5 points per game for 12th in the conference and grabs a team-best 8.4 rebounds per game (seventh in the Big Ten).
Wisconsin continues competition in the state of Illinois and takes on Northwestern Sunday in Evanston at 5 p.m. The Big Ten Network will broadcast Sunday's game, which wraps up a three-game week for the Badgers.
