March 16, 2011
Wisconsin 68,Butler 48
WNIT - First Round
Kohl Center • Madison, Wis.
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| 1st | 2nd | Final | | Butler (20-14) | 23 | 25 | 48 | | Wisconsin (16-14) | 30 | 38 | 68 | | | | | | Stats at a Glance
| BU | WIS | FG Percentage
| .333 | .500 | | 3-Point FG Percentage | .154 | .308 | | FT Percentage | .667 | .800 | Offensive Rebounds
| 7 | 8 | | Defensive Rebounds | 21 | 30 | | Total Rebounds | 28 | 38 | Assists
| 11 | 22 | | Turnovers | 12 | 14 | Steals
| 9 | 2 | | |
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• Box Score | Box Score 
| Quotes | Notes
MADISON, Wis. -- With Butler starting five players 5-10 or smaller and no players taller than 6-2 on its roster, the Badgers' strategy was pretty obvious from the start.
Get the ball down low to forwards Lin Zastrow and Anya Covington and good things will happen. UW followed the script most of the night and was rewarded with a 68-48 victory over Butler in the first round of the WNIT Wednesday night at the Kohl Center.
"When we came out (to play), we knew that we could score early inside and then we went away from that in the first half, and allowed them to stay in the game. We started settling for quick outside jump shots instead of going inside," head coach Lisa Stone said. "Ideally, we'd like (a person) 6'4" or 6'5" on the block, and she (Lin Zastrow) was able to get the ball to Anya (Covington) and she did a really good job. She was a recipient of some really good passes."
Fast Facts
| • Zastrow scores game-high 22 points with career-high 7 assists
| • Badgers shoot 59.1 percent in second half
| • UW moves on to host C. Michigan/Illinois St. winner on Sunday at 1 p.m. in second round
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UW improves to 16-14 on the season while Butler's season ends with 20-14 mark.
Zastrow led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting. When she wasn't scoring, she was passing effectively out of double teams, registering a career-high seven assists. One of the beneficiaries of Zastrow's good passing was Covington, who chipped in with a season-high tying 16 points.
Guard Alyssa Karel, UW's leading scorer on the season, also scored in double figures with 12. Karel pulled down seven rebounds and dished out six assists as the Badgers registered a season-high 22 helpers as a team.
"They (the seniors) want to play as long as they can, but for our young players, this is a time for them to get experience, and for them to understand that playing in March is what we expect," Stone said. "This is a great tournament, and the deeper you go - if you look at the field (of 64), it's unbelievable."
Wisconsin jumped out to an early 11-4 lead and didn't trail until the 4:19 mark of the first half when Butler went ahead, 22-21. From that point, the Badgers closed the half with an 8-1 run to take a 30-23 lead into the locker room.
UW then outscored Butler 11-4 in the first seven minutes of the second frame to build a 14-point advantage, 41-27. The Bulldogs tried to make a comeback, using a fullcourt press to go on a 7-0 run and pull within six points (45-39) midway through the half.
Covington and Zastrow combined to score six of the next eight points, though, as UW built the lead back up to double digits. Wisconsin scored 11 of the game's final 14 points to account for the final margin.
As has been the case most of the season, Wisconsin's defense was outstanding. The Badgers held Butler to its lowest point total of the season while limiting the Bulldogs to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field (18-of-54), including 4-of-26 (.154) from 3-point range. On the other end, UW shot a scorching 59.1 percent (13-of-22) in the second half and finished the game 26-of-52.
The Badgers will now host the winner of the game between Illinois State and Central Michigan on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Kohl Center in the second round of the WNIT.
