Wisconsin Downs Hawaii; Heads to Title Game
November 26, 2005 | Women's Basketball
The Wisconsin women's basketball team (4-0) defeated Hawaii 77-67 Saturday in the semifinals of the Rainbow Wahine Classic. Sophomores Janese Banks and Jolene Anderson led the Badgers with 18 and 16 points, respectively.
The key to the win against the Rainbow Wahine came down to rebounding. After trailing by one at halftime and getting outrebounded 19-18 in the first half, Wisconsin made the adjustment in the locker room and came out to beat Hawaii on the boards 22-15 in the second half.
'That was a big win for us,' Lisa Stone, Wisconsin head coach, said. 'To play a team on their home court and hold on for the win really sets the stage for what we came here to do ' play in the championship game. We emphasized the adjustments at halftime to get on the boards. We came out aggressively in the second half.'
After a four-point game went back-and-fourth the first 30 minutes, Wisconsin took the lead for good at 10:37. The Badgers would lead by as many as five three different times until they took a 68-62 lead with 2:56 to play. Wisconsin hit eight free throws down the stretch to secure the win, despite having starters Banks (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Danielle Ward (Milwaukee, Wis.) on the bench after fouling out. Ward made her first career start.
Senior captain Kjersten Bakke (DeForest, Wis.) took control on the boards at key times, including a rebound following a Hawaii miss with 35 seconds remaining and a Badger six-point lead. Akiya Alexander (Evanston, Ill.) would hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it a three-possession game.
Banks led the team for the second consecutive day after she netted a personal-best 25 points in the first-round win against Idaho State. Bakke finished with seven boards and also matched her career-high with 10 scores. Alexander also tied her personal best with nine.
Anderson dished six assists and swiped five steals while Annie Nelson (Hudson, Wis.) finished with a team-best eight boards.
Amy Sanders led Hawaii (2-2) with a game-high 19 points.
Wisconsin will face No. 17 DePaul in the championship game at 9:30 p.m. Sunday (5:30 p.m. local). The two schools are just 2 ' hours apart but will have traveled thousands of miles for the chance to play for a tournament title.
