I was all set to start out my post-game message with a "you're welcome", but I forgot to get the Redbirds on board with my plan. So have to start with "I'm sorry". Final score: UW 70 - ISU 60.
The ladies looked "outclassed" today vs. Big 10+ competition, not necessarily in terms of how they played the game, but really in terms of athleticism I guess you'd call it. They don't list weight on the women's rosters, but the Badgers were solid, square-shouldered ladies for the most part, explosive, quick. They went to the glass with strength. Do the ladies get sent to the weight room? If so, we aren't working hard enough, at least not hard enough to take on Big 10+ teams. I'm not sure I've captured it, but if you were there, you couldn't miss it.
We were tied at 6 with 5 minutes left in the first quarter, then down 16-8 with 2 minutes left, and ended the quarter that way. Then 21-10 after the first two minutes of the 2nd quarter, and were down by as much as 16 before cutting the lead to 11 with a Bowers trey at the half-time horn. Played fairly even thru the 3rd quarter, lead between 8 and 12 that whole quarter. Lead grew to 17 with 1:44 left in the game, and we scored the final 7 points to cut it to 10 at the end.
Easy stat to point to was 3's - they were 10-20, we were 5-21. There's 15 points right there. Fouls weren't really a factor, in fact they had more than us. We had 12 TO's, they had 17!
JuJu was the quickest player on the court, but she just couldn't "take control", altho she was our leading scorer, tied with Deanna Wilson. I thought Wilson got used by the Badgers inside, altho, again, she got 16 points and 9 boards, so she was doing something right. Mary Crompton couldn't get her shot going, and I'm sure the size of the Badgers made a difference getting off a clean shot.
Badgers got 12 points and 9 boards from one Hallie Douglass - daughter of former Bears QB Bobby. She's tough. Brooked Schramek from Benet Academy seemed very tough inside, especially early, but only ended up with 9 points and 3 boards.
Kudos to Coach G - with a couple minutes left in the game she subbed in Chloe Van Zeeland from Appleton, Wisconsin. She had a large contingent in attendance, at least based on the applause she got when she went in. She's only played 20 minutes in 5 games, so is not part of the regular rotation. I respect Coach G for giving her a chance in her home state.
As we stood near the only open concession stand before the game, I was surprised at the number of ISU fans who passed me by without giving me the high sign, or sharing a "Go Birds" or something, anything (I was wearing an ISU hat and Redbird sweatshirt). I would guess there might have been a hundred or so ISU fans in attendance, once we got inside the arena, kind of hard to tell since both teams are red and white, but based on the logos I could see. I decided later many of the folks who passed w/o a word might have been Van Zeeland's people from Appleton, who are really Badger fans through and through, but were wearing Redbird gear in support of their girl. I don't know, seemed weird to me.
Badger pep band was sad tonight, altho one has to recognize it's finals, the volleyball team was playing in the final 4 at the same time, etc. Two trombones, one trumpet, one tuba, two drumsets. Oh well, who am I to criticize.
Anyway, that's my report. I don't know that this will end up being one of Coach G's best teams, for whatever reason. I don't see them playing together that well, the pieces aren't fitting together. Maybe things will click at some point. Hope so.
