UW Falls to Virginia in Big Ten-ACC Challenge
November 30, 2007 | Women's Basketball
The Badgers fell to Virginia on the road, 84-60, at the inaugural Big Ten-ACC Challenge after falling behind by as many as 22 points in the first half. Unable to make up from its scoring deficit, Wisconsin dropped to 2-3 overall, while the Cavaliers improved to 5-3 on the season.
Seventeen first half turnovers doomed Wisconsin early allowing Virginia to race to a 22-point lead, 31-9 with 6:20 left in the first half. The Badgers just could not compete with the Cavaliers who shot 49 percent from the floor including 4-of-7 3-pointers for 57 percent from the arc. An 8-0 run late in the half brought Wisconsin within 33-19 with 2:00 left. Virginia closed the half leading 38-21. Jolene Anderson had nine of her 18 points in the first half.
Virginia assumed a 20-point lead, 46-26, with 18:40 left in the game, but the Badgers wouldn't go away. An 18-7 Badger run led by Jolene Anderson with six points brought the Badgers within nine points, 50-41 with 13:51 left. It was the closest the score had been since 16 minutes in the first half.
Virginia's lead ballooned to 17 three more times and later to the largest lead of the game 84-58 with a minute to go. UW, which committed just three turnovers in the second half, ran out of gas as time ran down. The game ended with a final score of 84-60.
"We played a lot better in the second half and I was really proud of our team to be able to show their character and come back out and play hard," head coach Lisa Stone said. "Virginia is a good basketball team. I was convinced."
Virginia's Monica Wright had an exceptional game at the John Paul Jones Arena, shooting 11-of-17 from the field for 27 points. The sophomore entered the game averaging 15.3 points, but far exceeded that tonight. She also had five rebounds, but tallied eight turnovers in the game.
Anderson's double figure scoring streak extends to 34-straight games with 18 points. The Badgers had three double-figure scorers as Janese Banks contributed 14 and freshman Tara Steinbauer had a career-high 10. UW was outrebounded for the first time this season 44-33.
Up next, the Badgers take on IPFW on Dec. 2 in their first of five straight home games at the Kohl Center before Big Ten Conference games begin on the road. Tip off this Sunday is set for 1:30 p.m. CST.
Wisconsin Post-Game Notes
' Caitlin Gibson scored her first points of the year in the first half.
' Jolene Anderson's 3-point streak is now at 84 games (of 98). This is also the 34th straight game in which Anderson has scored in double figures. She has scored in double figures 94-of-98 career games.
' Anderson needs just 160 points to tie the UW women's career scoring record of 1,994.
' This was the first game in which Wisconsin was out-rebounded by its opponent.
' Anderson had a season-high steals with three.
' Rae Lin D'Alie tallied a season-high eight assists.
