MADISON, Wis. -- In its most complete game of the season, the Wisconsin women's basketball team ended a seven-game losing streak, defeating Purdue 64-57 in the Kohl Center on Monday night.
 
The Badgers (7-15 overall, 3-9 Big Ten) were ready for a tough battle against the Boilermakers, a team that receives votes in both national polls, and it was the seniors who led the charge.
 
After ending the first quarter tied at 18-all, Wisconsin outscored the Boilermakers (16-7, 7-5) over the next two periods to take a 46-42 lead after three quarters.
 
Jumpers from seniors Nicole Bauman, Dakota Whyte and Michala Johnson gave UW its largest lead of the game at 52-44 with 8:29 to play.  In less than three minutes, Purdue fought back to make it a two-point game (52-50) with 5:51 remaining. The Boilermakers stayed within four points over the next two-and-a-half minutes before Purdue's Bridget Perry converted on an old-fashioned three-point play to cut the Badger lead to 56-55 with 3:03 on the clock.
 
The Badgers went into maximum overdrive for the remainder of the game. Cayla McMorris scored a falling-away layup with 2:20 to play (58-55) before Johnson grabbed the rebound off a missed Purdue shot. Whyte missed a jumper with less than two minutes to play but senior Tessa Cichy grabbed the offensive board as Johnson hit a jumper with 56 seconds on the clock to put UW's lead back up to 60-55.
 
Purdue's Dominique McBryde scored a layup with 44 seconds left, making it a three-point game (60-57). The Badgers took as much time as possible off the clock before Bauman scored a driving layup with 17 seconds left to put Wisconsin up 62-57. Purdue missed a 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining as Johnson added a security bucket with six seconds remaining for the final score.
 
Wisconsin had three players score in double digits led by Johnson with a game-high 19 points. The senior forward shot 56 percent (9-of-16) from the field and recorded her first double-double of the season with a game-high 13 rebounds. Bauman added 16 points, her ninth game in a row in double figures, and Whyte chipped in 14 points.
 
Wisconsin shot 45.2 percent (28-of-62) from the field, including 45.5 percent (15-of-33) from 3-point range. Purdue shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53) from the field, including 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from behind the arc. The Badgers got to the free-throw line eight times, making four for 50 percent while the Boilermakers hit 90.9 percent (10-of-11) from the line.
 
For the first time this season, the Badgers outrebounded a Big Ten Conference opponent, outboarding the Boilers 39-28, including 15-8 on offensive boards. McMorris added six boards and Whyte had a season high five rebounds.
 
Wisconsin dished off 15 assists, behind five apiece from Cichy and Whyte, while turning the ball over 14 times. The Badgers scored 20 points off 16 Purdue turnovers.
 
Bauman got things started for Wisconsin at 9:09 matching Purdue's layup by April Wilson, tying the game 2-2. Shortly after, Johnson shot back-to-back baskets earning Wisconsin's first lead (6-4) of the game at 7:29.
 
The fight continued as Whyte scored a layup followed by a 3-pointer from Bauman (11-7) finding UW's second lead of the game at 6:16. The Badgers kept their lead until a shot by Purdue's Perry tied it up at 11-11 with 5:08 remaining.
 
Wisconsin went on a shooting streak with Cichy and junior Avyanna Young hitting shots and Whyte adding two free throws to give UW an 18-15 lead. With a 3-pointer by Purdue's Ashley Morrissette, the Badgers finished the first quarter tied at 18-18.
 
Wisconsin came out just as strong in the second quarter, taking an early lead (22-20) with back-to-back baskets from Whyte and Johnson. The Badgers and Boilermakers went on to tie the game three more times throughout the quarter, including at 30-30 off a layup by freshman Roichelle Marble at 1:53.
 
Marble gave UW the lead with 33 seconds remaining, hitting a 3-pointer as the shot clock buzzer sounded. The Badgers defense stayed strong earning UW a 33-30 lead at halftime.
 
In the third quarter, UW broke away (40-34) on a 3-pointer from Bauman at 5:11. Wisconsin upped its lead to 42-36 at 4:24 on a field goal by McMorris. Finishing out the third quarter, both Rosanna Gambino and Cichy scored baskets, keeping the Badgers lead alive, 46-42.
 
Wisconsin travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to take on Michigan at 6 p.m. on Thursday.