UW Overpowered by No. 3 Buckeyes, 86-67
January 27, 2005 | Women's Basketball
The University of Wisconsin women's basketball team could not find a way to stop Jessica Davenport and third-ranked Ohio State, falling 86-67 Thursday night at the Kohl Center.
Davenport, the media's 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, reeled off a career-high 36 points off 15-of-21 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and three blocks. Two other Buckeyes (20-2 overall, 7-1 Big Ten) scored in double figures as the team shot .507 as a whole.
Jolene Anderson did all she could for UW (7-10, 1-6) with her 24-point effort, which included four 3-point baskets. Stephanie Rich added 12 points and four assists.
But in the end, no Wisconsin player could match the 6-4 Davenport 's size and ability.
'Jessica Davenport is something special,' head coach Lisa Stone said. 'Defensively, we had to front her and give help ' (but) we did not neutralize her.'
The Buckeyes made good use out of Davenport early and often, which is how they turned a 3-0 deficit and three turnovers in the first three minutes of the game into an eventual 30-12 lead with 7:30 left in the opening half.
Plus, the Badgers didn't make it any easier for themselves by committing 12 first-half turnovers, which OSU converted for 20 points. Without Anderson 's 13 points, the deficit could have been larger than 45-29 at the break
The next seven points belonged to UW'45-36 was the closest it would get the rest of the way'but Ohio State countered with a 20-6 run to jump ahead, 65-42, with 11:49 remaining. OSU's Caity Matter made three of her five steals during that span.
Wisconsin did enjoy one advantage during the game, and that was 3-point shooting. UW made 8-of-18 while OSU was just 2-of-9.
The Buckeyes made up for the discrepancy inside with a 56-24 pounding in points in the paint and 42-27 edge in rebounds.
'I thought that our first line of defense was good, but too many second-chance points allowed them to build a lead,' Stone said. 'But I give our team a lot of credit'we fought. We continued to stay in there. '
The Badgers close out their three-game home stand by entertaining Michigan at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Kohl Center. The game will celebrate the 30th anniversary of women's intercollegiate athletics at the University of Wisconsin.
Game Notes
The defeat for UW was the fourth against a nationally ranked opponent this season ' Wisconsin falls to 14-32 all-time against Ohio State ' the Badgers are now 6-4 at home, with just four home games left ' the 45-29 deficit at the half was UW's worst this season ' the 27 rebounds were a season-low ' OSU's 35 field goals matched a season-high by a Wisconsin opponent ' Ebba Gebisa made her first start since Nov. 27, 2004 while Jordan Wilson came off the bench for the first time this year ' Jolene Anderson had her sixth game this season with 20 or more points
Post-game Quotations
UW HEAD COACH LISA STONE
On Ohio State's performance:
'It's a great credit to them. I told Jim that he has a special thing going there. Jessica Davenport is something special. We put her on the free throw line a lot in the first half. Defensively, we had to front her and give help. It was her strength and her height, she could back us down. We did not neutralize her. '
On the rebounding disparity:
'The other real key statistic is the rebound total. They (OSU) had as many offensive rebounds as rebounds we had total. You can't give teams second chances. I thought that our first line of defense was good, but too many second chance points allowed them to build a lead. But I give our team a lot of credit, we fought. We continued to stay in there.'
On the positive things she'll take away:
'We got a great effort out of Ebba Gebisa today, good energy from her. Jolene Anderson with different combinations, looking at some of the younger kids playing a variety of different spots, for example Jolene (Anderson) at the point.
'There are some good things we can take from this but Ohio State, in my mind, is probably one of the best teams I've ever coached against in my career.'
OHIO STATE HEAD COACH JIM FOSTER
'We feel we're an inside-outside team and we 're going to have that mentality. Our team is patient on offense, and I think the patience created a lot of good opportunities for Jess (Jessica Davenport).'
Was this one of his team's better defensive games '
'I thought (in) the first half we were very good defensively and quick and aggressive. I thought in the second half we got into sort of exchange the basket mentality, which is not a good thing to get into.'
Is he comfortable with where his team is halfway through the Big Ten season'
'In some dimensions. We've spent a lot of time in the last week really working on our half court offensive execution and sort of getting inside our offense. We're still a relatively young basketball team in terms of experiences and just program. I won't have a senior until next year in reality, so we're still in a teaching mode. But I like where we are. I think we're still on an upward spiral. I think there's the right kind of energy in our gym on a daily basis and I think we're getting better.'
'Wisconsin's a very good basketball team. They 're going to improve as the year goes along. They're going to get somebody here. Michigan ' that is no picnic playing against them. I think what is happening is that the bottom is this conference has gotten much stronger, much more competitive, and when people sort of haphazardly say `We want to return to the glory days of the '80s,' I've sort of reminded them that not every Big Ten team was as serious in the '80s ' and in this century, they're very serious.'
