MADISON, Wis. – Despite pulling within three points near the end of the game, the Wisconsin women's basketball team couldn't complete its comeback, falling 65-59 to Penn State on Thursday night at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin (10-10, 1-7 BIG) pulled within three points (62-59) with 43 seconds left in the game. Penn State missed on its next possession but grabbed a crucial offensive rebound. The Badgers were then forced to foul, sending PSU to the free-throw line. The Lady Lions' Teniya Page made two from the charity stripe with 12 seconds to play and UW was unable to convert on its next possession, giving PSU the ball back with five seconds remaining. Page made one of two free throws with five seconds to play for the final score.
The game was a battle from the start as the two teams changed leads four times and the score was tied four times.
Freshmen
Imani Lewis led the Badgers with 13 points, shooting 5-6 (83.3 percent) from the line. The 6-foot-1 forward also added seven rebounds and three steals while junior
Abby Laszewski also scored in double figures with 10 points, including eight points in the third quarter alone. The forward also added two blocks and a career-high two steals.
UW shot 37.3 percent (19-57) from the field, including 27.3 percent (3-11) from 3-point range and a solid 60 percent (18-30) from the charity stripe. PSU connected on 41.4 percent (24-58) from the field, including 36.8 percent (7-19) from beyond the arc, and 10-17 (58.8 percent) from the line.
Despite a slow start, the Badgers were able to find their rhythm and the basket. Lewis got UW on the board with 5:34 to play in the first before Wisconsin went on an 11-4 run to lead, 11-9, with 1:59 left in the period. But PSU would come right back to lead 16-12 at the end of the period, including a make at the buzzer.
The Badgers trailed 21-15 with 7:55 to play in the second quarter, but two 3-pointers and a pair of fast break baskets keyed a 16-4 run as UW grab its biggest lead of the night, 27-23, with 4:10 left in the second. The Lady Lions hit another late shot to lead 38-31 at the half.
Down by 11 points (44-33) with 7:05 to play in the third quarter, the Badgers went on a 9-0 run, including eight straight by Laszewski to pull within two points of the Lady Lions, 44-42, at the 4:23 mark in the third. Wisconsin couldn't keep the momentum going as PSU led 54-45 after three periods.
Penn State had a 60-50 lead with 5:18 to play in the game before the Badgers began their comeback, outscoring the Lady Lions 9-2 to pull within three points with less than a minute to play.
Teniya Page led the Lady Lions with a game-high 16 points while Jaida Travascio-Green was nearly unstoppable from behind the 3-point line shooting 4-7 from deep for 14 points, all in the first half.
Penn State finished with a two-rebound advantage over the Badgers, 37-35, but UW would turn the ball over fewer times, 17-15, grabbing 24 points off of the turnovers. Wisconsin also finished with 15 assists behind a game-high five from
Niya Beverley.
Notes to know
- Redshirt senior Kelly Karlis led the Badgers with three blocks, tying her season high.
- Junior Abby Laszewski shot 6-11 from the free-throw line, recording career bests for makes and attempts. She also recorded a career-high two steals.
- Freshman Imani Lewis dished off a career-high four assists.
- The Badgers tied their season high with 30 free-throw attempts, making 18 for 60 percent.
- Wisconsin scored a season-high 24 points off Penn State turnovers.
Straight from the court
"I think as we look back at the last two games, one of our goals is to be a team that competes and fights in every possession. I thought at the beginning of tonight's game, we were little stagnant, especially as the home team. You're hoping you can enforce what you're trying to do, knowing that the visitors are in unfamiliar territory.
"I thought our changing defenses was good and I thought we were active. In the third quarter, I thought Abby (Laszewski) did a good job getting herself in good positioning down low and getting to the free throw line. But we have to be able to close quarters. In the end, we needed to get one or two rebounds, and when you hold a team to 3-for-15 in the fourth quarter, we have to finish our possessions and get a shot. But I'm proud of how we fought."
"(Closing quarters) is huge, especially with the fouls to give. Sometimes we have people out there with two fouls, or somebody we don't want taking an extra foul. We have to do a better job of making sure our team is prepared to do that. Not only that, we needed to do a better job controlling the runs at the end of the quarters. Obviously, the run to end the second quarter, when we had the lead and then they made the run to take the lead – that just gives them momentum. We have to be able to eliminate that.
"Everybody in that locker room wants to give more but what you guys had in your contributions tonight helped put us in a position that we can win that game."
- Jonathan Tsipis
"Just trying to step up when Marsha's not able to be in there. I was challenged at halftime so I wanted to come out hard and see what I can do and just try to help the team."
- Junior Abby Laszewski
"The main thing that's going to stick with me is I've got to give more. Whether people think I had a good game or not, it's just I have to give more because I can see the amount that I'm giving isn't helping the team and it's not getting us anywhere. From my perspective, I just have to give more offensively and defensive and then just keep my head in the game more."
- Freshman Imani Lewis
Up next
The Badgers are back in the Kohl Center on Sunday for a Big Ten match-up against Nebraska. Game tips off at 2 p.m.
The UW Athletic Department will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Sunday with festivities beginning at 11:30 a.m. inside the Nicholas Johnson Pavilion. Fans can enjoy fun and interactive games, a chance to interact with female student-athletes, music from DJ Shawna, and an opportunity to meet Bucky Badger. Plus, a special performance from the UW Band will follow a brief on-stage program focusing on the benefits for girls to get involved with athletics
