Badgers Battle Boston College Tonight
December 30, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Wisconsin (5-3) has spent a beautiful time in Boston visiting the Green Monster, Fenway Park, and putting away clam chowder. But tonight at 6 p.m. CST the Badgers take on their first nationally ranked team in 22nd ranked Boston College (9-1) in the first meeting between the two teams. The game is not televised but may be heard locally in Madison on WTSO 1070, or on the internet at uwbadgers.com.
UW got a boost heading into the break with a 54-49 win over UW-Milwaukee Dec. 22. It was the second-straight win over an in-state opponent for the Badgers, who dispatched UW-Green Bay on the road Dec. 13, 56-48. BC is the first of a three-game road swing that includes the start of the Big Ten Conference season on the road at No. 18 Ohio State (8-1) Jan. 2, and Indiana (6-4) Jan. 8 in Bloomington.
DID YOU KNOW'
' The last time Wisconsin won three straight games was in 2001-02 when UW established a school record 15-game win streak (Nov. 25-Jan. 17).
' The Badgers will live video stream six basketball games on the internet at uwbadgers.com. The feed from the games broadcast by Wisconsin Public Television will be simulcast on the internet. The games will also appear live locally on UPN 14, and statewide delayed on Wisconsin Public Television. Ken Syke will make the call and former assistant Dawn Crim will provide the color analysis.
' The Badgers have had 5,000 or more fans at 99 consecutive regular season games dating back to Dec. 12, 1995. UW currently ranks 11th nationally averaging 5,894/game
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
Boston College remains a top-25 team at 22nd in the AP poll, and 24th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. The Eagles are 9-1 and won seven straight games to open the season before losing in overtime at George Washington, 75-76. The Eagles average 25.7 more points than opponents and beat UNC-Greensboro 84-53 Monday. BC was picked to finish fifth in the Big East in the coaches preseason poll behind defending national champion UConn, Rutgers, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
COACH LISA STONE IN FIRST YEAR AT WISCONSIN
Wisconsin native Lisa Stone is in her first season at Wisconsin. From nearby Oregon, Stone had been the head coach at Drake University the past three years, taking the Bulldogs to the 2002 NCAA Sweet 16. Now in her 19th season of coaching, Stone has a career collegiate record of 380-121 (.758). She posted a 64-27 (.703) record in three years at Drake. In 12 years at UW-Eau Claire she fashioned a 277-59 mark for a .824 winning percentage and two Final Four appearances.
ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE
About the Season
The 22nd-ranked Eagles are off to their best start in school history with a 9-1 record. Cathy Inglese won her 300th game Sunday in the 84-53 win over UNC-Greensboro.
BC won seven straight games to open the season before losing in overtime at George Washington, 75-76. It was BC's second overtime game having earlier beaten Liberty 74-70 in the opening round of the Brown tourney.
The Eagles had a convincing 94-49 win over Sacred Heart. BC won the Brown Tournament beating the host team 73-45. They also won the Colorado State tournament with a 75-61 win over the Rams in the championship game.
The Eagles have dominated opponents and average 21.3 more points per game than opponents while also outrebounding them 38.3 to 30.3. BC doesn't make mistakes, averaging just 14.2 turnovers and hits .504 from the field as a team.
Look Back at Last Season
Boston College achieved a program-first Sweet 16 appearance and finished 22-9 and third in the Big East with a 12-4 record. Five players graduated from that squad that led BC to its fourth NCAA appearance in the past five years.
Players to Watch
Boston College most resembles the Badgers of any team UW has faced this season. With two 6-4 starters in the middle, BC can match up with Wisconsin's twin towers--6-7 Lello Gebisa and 6-5 Emily Ashbaugh--better than most teams.
Maureen Leahy averages 14.7 points and 3.9 rebounds, but sat out the Sacred Heart game with a sprained ankle. Lisa Macchia averages 14.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and has posted career-highs in points of 23 and 28 in two of the last three games.
The leading scorers are both experienced guards, both average 17 points a game, and both make a living at the free throw line hitting an identical over .829 percent on the season.
Junior Jessalyn Deveny averages 16.8 points while Amber Jacobs hits 17.9 points per game. Deveny tallied 21 points, against Sacred Heart marking the fifth time this year that she has scored 20 or more points.
Jacobs is the assist leader averaging 6.0 per game, and is also the main three-point threat hitting an impressive 24-48 for .500 percent. She was named the Brown University tournament MVP and recognized as the Big East co-Player of the Week after averaging 19.7 points and 6.7 assists per game. Jacobs earned national attention in the NCAA tournament by hitting two buzzer beaters that propelled BC past Old Domion and then Vanderbilt to gain the Sweet 16 appearance.
In her first career start against Sacred Heart, 6-2 sophomore Brooke Queenan posted her first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Queenan started for the injured Leahy.
The Series
Wisconsin has never played Boston College.
WISCONSIN INDIVIDUAL NOTES FROM 2003-04
' Senior 6-5 center Emily Ashbaugh (Woodinville, Wash.) is averaging a career-best 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. She had her sixth career double-double to lead UW against Butler with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
' Junior all-everything guard Stephanie Rich (Crawfordsville, Iowa), has been impressive in several categories in her games this year. She had her season-high 19 points including four-of-eight three-pointers against UW-Green Bay. In the opening game, she set a Kohl Center record for three-point attempts hitting 4-of-13 against NIU to tie for scoring honors with 16 points.
A 2003 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention player, she is posting career-bests and ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten in assists (6.88) and ranks fourth in steals (2.63). Her 12 assists vs. Notre Dame and her 19 field goal attempts (5-of-19) in the NIU game were career-highs. She had a career-high nine rebounds vs. Hampton and is averaging 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. She's almost perfect at the line hitting 15-of-16 for .938 percent.
' Another player having a career year is sophomore guard Ashley Josephson (Onalaska, Wis.), who scored the game winner and added the free throw vs. Iowa State. She is leading the Badgers and is sixth in the Big Ten in three-point shooting hitting 13-30 for .433 percent, and is 12-16 for .750 percent at the free throw line. She has posted career-highs in points (18), rebounds (6), assists (5) and free throws (6-6) and earned her first all-tournament honors at the Miami Tournament.
' Sophomore 5-11 forward Kjersten Bakke (DeForest, Wis.) came off the bench to collect seven rebounds and seven points vs. NIU, both were career-bests. She has been sidelined with a right shoulder injury and has missed three games this season.
' Sophomore 6-1 forward Jordan Wilson (Naperville, Ill.) was named the MVP of the Miami tournament with a monster championship game that included career-highs of 13 points and 15 rebound. She is averaging career-bests 6.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
' Freshman guard Kandace Evans (Southfield, Mich.) scored had a career-high six points vs. ISU and is averaging 2.3 points per game. The speedy point guard came off the bench to earn four assists in her collegiate debut vs. NIU and averages 1.75 assists/game. She had a career-high four rebounds vs. UW-Green Bay.
' Lello Gebisa (W. Lafayette, Ind.) had a season-high 17 points to lead UW in the win over Iowa State and a season high 10 rebounds and five blocked shots against UW-Green Bay. She had her sixth career double-double vs. UW-Milwaukee with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and added a career-high five assists. She led the Big Ten in blocks with 2.10 per game in 2003, and is currently second in the conference averaging 1.75 blocks/game.
' The Gebisa sisters (Lello and Ebba) are Wisconsin 's fourth sister duo to play basketball in school history. UW's other sister tandems include Theresa and Janet Huff of Milwaukee (1979-84); twins Kim and Kay Fredrickson of Durand, Wis. (1987-91), and Jennah (Hartwig) and Michele Burkholder of Janesville, Wis. (1993-98).
' When played together, 6-7 Lello Gebisa, 6-5 Emily Ashbaugh and 6-3 Ebba Gebisa comprise the tallest front line in the Big Ten.
Team
WISCONSIN TEAM NOTES FROM 2003-04
' Badgers set a Kohl Center record with 22 three-point attempts vs. Iowa State on 12/7/03 (9-22). UW set the record initially in the first game with 19 attempts.
' The Badgers averaged 22 turnovers a game last season, but have reduced that to 17.88 per game this year with a season low 12 vs. Iowa State on 12/7. The last time UW had as few as 12 turnovers was against Michigan on Jan. 6, 2002.
' UW had a season high 16 steals vs. UW-Milwaukee, the most since Cleveland State Nov. 27, 2001. As a team UW averages 7.25 steals per game.
' UW has outrebounded four and tied one of the seven teams its played this year and averages 38.1 caroms to 35.0 by its opponents.
' The Badgers rank fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense holding opponents to .366 percent from the field and fourth in scoring defense with opponents at 58.5 points per game.
' The Badgers rank second in blocks with 4.50 per game. UW outnumbers opponents 36 blocks to 15. Wisconsin topped the Big Ten in 2003 averaging 5.29/game.
' UW claimed just its 10th tournament title in its 30-year school history when it won the Sonesta Coconut Grove Thanksgiving Classic title in Miami.
' Badger Coach Lisa Stone's first six-member recruiting class is ranked 15th nationally by All-Star Girls Report.
ADDITIONAL TEAM and PLAYER COMMENTS
' The Badgers have held four-of-eight teams to scoring less than 50 points.
' Lello Gebisa is now averaging more than her rebounds from last year with 6.6/game which led the team a year ago, and averages 1.75 blocks per game (had 2.10/game last year which led the Big Ten)
' Ebba Gebisa has hit eight 3-pointers on the season. Last year she hit 10 all season, and 0 as a frosh.
' Steph Rich is averaging 6.88 assists per game. The school record season average is 6.7 by Keisha Anderson. Keisha was UW's season assist and steals leader.
' Ashley Josephson hit just 16-of-34 3-pointers for .471 percent to lead the team and set a frosh 3-point percentage record last season. She is currently leading the team with 13-of-30 3-pointers for .433 percent.
' Six returning players have set or tied 17 career marks this season in the five major statistics categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks).
