MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin women's basketball team uses second-quarter and fourth-quarter surges to defeat North Dakota State, 64-53, at the Kohl Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Badgers (3-0) had a slow start, tied up 15-15 at the end of the first quarter. Three straight free throws by Imani Lewis put UW up 26-23 with 4:42 left to play in the half as Wisconsin outscored the Bison 21-10 in the second period to lead 36-23 at the break.
 
Wisconsin was outscored in the third quarter 21-14 to allow the Bison (2-2) to come within one point of UW with just under a minute in the period. NDSU shot 63.6 percent (7-11) from the field compared to UW's 22.7 percent (5-22).
 
A fourth quarter rally by the Badgers put the game out of reach as Wisconsin outscored the Bison 14-7, shoot 62.5 percent (5-8) from the field while NDSU hit just 30 percent (3-10).
 
Freshman Imani Lewis led the way for UW, scoring a career-high 19 points while also adding seven rebounds. Behind Lewis, three other Badgers scored in double figures as both Kelly Karlis and Marsha Howard put up 11 points, and Alex Luehring added 10 points.
 
As a team, UW dominated of the glass out-rebounding the Bison 36-26 and tallied 19 points off turnovers. Free throws also proved to be a difference in the game as Wisconsin shot 13-17 (76.5 percent) while NDSU went to the line only four times, making all four.
 
North Dakota was led by Michelle Gaislerova, who put up 18 points, and Marina Fernandez with six rebounds.
 
 

And one for @ballislifee_34
Q1 - 2:23 | WIS 11, NDSU 10 pic.twitter.com/rYFi20gblu

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerWBB) November 17, 2018

 
 

Turning Points

Wisconsin trailed 23-19 with 7:17 to play in the second quarter before going on a 15-0 run to lead 34-23 with 40 seconds remaining. Lewis led the Badgers with five points over the run.

With UW leading 36-25 at the half, NDSU outscored the Badgers 21-14 in the third quarter to pull within four points (50-46) heading into the final period. The Badgers opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 56-46 with 6:44 on the clock. The Bison would cut the lead to five (56-51) with 5:29 to play before a basket by Abby Laszewski stopped the NDSU run and put the game out of reach.
 

Fun Facts

• Freshman Imani Lewis scored a career high 19 points, shooting career highs of 6-11 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from free-throw line. The 6-foot-1 forward also pulled down seven rebounds.
• The Badgers opened the season 3-0 for the first time since 2013-14.
• Sophomore Niya Beverley tied her career high with six assists vs. the Bison.
• Freshman Diamond Bragg tied her career best with two rebounds.
• For the third game this season, Wisconsin had four players score in double figures - Lewis (19), Karlis (11), Howard (11) and Luehring (10).
• Wisconsin outrebounded its third opponent this season, outboarding the Bison 36-26.

  

Straight from the court

 
Opening Statement
Head coach Jonathan Tsipis
"As a team progresses, I think you saw that we won the game, plus-10 on the glass. We had good distribution with four people in double figures, but we talked about defense and rebounding. We want those to be two of our cornerstones.
 
"We let them get confidence, in the third quarter shooting 64 percent that helped them come back in the game. It is amazing how confidence can get you over being tired and with a limited bench. They got it back within one, but I think Alex's 3-pointer was a big momentum play. But again an early season game and our team was at a great level in how they brought themselves into the game. I think today we thought that NDSU would back down once we got the lead, but they stepped up."
 
Senior forward Marsha Howard
On Imani's contribution on the court as a freshman
"I tell all the freshmen to go out there and play basketball. They tend to get frustrated a lot and scared to make mistakes. I tell them to relax and just breathe, have confidence and breathe. Imani has had tremendous confidence through these first games and she's got to keep it up." 
 
Freshman forward Imani Lewis
On regrouping after NDSU's third quarter scoring spree
"We never gave up. We didn't allow their spurts to put us down. Coach kept telling us to keep our heads up and not to get down about it. We had to motivate each other. Then we got back on the court and showed them who we really are."
 
On improving at the charity stripe
"Mentally I knew that I have been struggling at the free throw line. I haven't been satisfied by my results at the line. I've been staying after practice shooting free throws, coming in on off days for free throws – trying to practice, practice, practice."
 

Next up

The Badgers are back in action Monday taking on IUPUI from the Kohl Center. Tip time is 7 p.m.