Wisconsin Women's Basketball Dairyland Duo Brings Success
December 01, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Wisconsin's backcourt duo of Janese Banks and Jolene Anderson will be the force to stop as Wisconsin takes on Marquette University in a cross-state matchup at 7 p.m. Friday at the Kohl Center.
The sophomore pair received all-tournament recognition at the Rainbow Wahini Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, last week for their stellar play in leading Wisconsin to the championship final.
Their stats in the tournament were fabulous. Banks had a career-high 25 points in the opening round against Idaho State, and added a season-high eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in her best game of the season.
Anderson led in rebounding that game with nine, added 21 points and five assists. As the competition got stiffer, the pair were challenged more.
On the weekend, Banks averaged 20 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals. Anderson contributed an average of 16.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game as UW went 2-1 in the tournament.
The one-two scoring punch for Wisconsin first appeared on the scene as freshmen starting every game. The last time a pair of freshmen were in UW's starting lineup was 1998-1999, when the `Minnesota Twins', Jessie Stomski and Tamara Moore, arrived in Madison from the Twin cities.
Both athletes worked on their games over the summer and have elevated their performance this year as a result. Anderson led the Badgers in scoring last season with 17.8 points per game and earned the 2005 Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year honors for her great all-around game. She spent the summer with USA basketball's U-19 team and won the gold medal in the FIBA World Championship in Tunis, Tunisia.
Not one to stay home, Banks toured Europe with the Big Ten All-Star team serving as its point guard. She also attended point guard camp in Missouri over the summer, and worked on other aspects of her game. The result is this season she is leading the Badgers in scoring with 19.2 points per game, leading in assists with 4.2 a game, and leading in steals with 2.6 per game.
Banks says of her game, 'I take advantage of what the defense gives me. On the defensive end, I want to be the dictator. I want to dictate where people go and what passes they make. I want to be in control and I know my teammates are behind me. My No. 1 goal is to make sure my defensive presence is known. My offense will come.'
Anderson is not far behind as the two have traded scoring honors through five games this season. Anderson is averaging 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game. According to Coach Stone, she is also just as happy giving her teammates the assist, as scoring the points herself.
There is no doubt these two players will make a dent in the Wisconsin records books. The only question will be in how many categories, with the main category being team success.
