Badgers Host SDSU in Last Game before Break
December 13, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Wisconsin (6-3) has won four games in a row and hopes to close out the non--conference season on a roll with South Dakota State Friday at 7 p.m. in the Kohl Center. The game can be heard live locally on WIBA Radio AM 1310 with Mike Heller, and televised statewide tape-delayed on Wisconsin Public Television at 11 p.m. Tickets for the game are available for $7 adults, and $3 seniors and students on uwbadgers.com or at the door.
This the last game before the Big Ten Conference season starts. The Badgers will take a 14-day break from games for finals and the holiday break. UW opens the conference season on the road at Purdue Dec. 28, then at Illinois Dec. 30. The Big Ten home opener is Jan. 2 with Michigan State.
UW's play of late has demonstrated better defense and balanced scoring. Even without injured freshman post player Tara Steinbauer, who leads the Big Ten in field goal shooting at 68.8 percent and is averaging 8.0 points per game, the Badgers placed five players in double-figures against UW-Green Bay Tuesday. As a team, UW tops the Big Ten in scoring average with 72.7 points per game.
Wisconsin has outscored its opponent in points in the paint by an average of 34.4 to 20.0, and had a season high with 50 points in the paint vs. UW-Milwaukee. The Badgers have doubled up their opponents in fast breaks points 9.11 to 4.55. Against the Phoenix, UW forced an opponent high 23 turnovers and collected 24 points. UW is averaging 19.3 points per game off opponent miscues.
Several players have achieved season-highs in the past three games. Teah Gant started against UW-Green Bay and tied her career-high with 10 points while and Rae Lin D 'Alie tied her high with 10. Senior Danielle Ward had a season-high 14 points vs. Air Force, Alyssa Karel had a season-high nine points against UW-Milwaukee.
With 20 points vs. UW-Green Bay, Jolene Anderson moved into third place and needs 90 points to tie the UW women's career scoring record of 1,994 which was set by Barb Franke (1991-96). Anderson's consecutive double-figure scoring mark now stands at 38, second longest in school history. She also scored double figures in 35 straight games between 2005-07. The record is 45-straight held by LaTonya Sims (1997-2000). Anderson has scored in double figures in 98 of 102 career games. For more information on Jolene Anderson, and on the parody song " Jolene " that debuted this week click here .
Coach Lisa Stone
Head coach Lisa Stone is in her fifth season at Wisconsin with a 62-67 (.481) school record. In her 23rd season of coaching, Stone is 437-185 overall (.703 winning percentage). She achieved career victory No. 400 with a win over Idaho State on Nov. 25, 2005, and ranks 22nd in all-time career win percentage among active Division I coaches at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
LAST TIME OUT
GAME 9: UW 81, UW-Green Bay 58
The Badger defense came to play all 40 minutes forcing 23 UW-Green Bay turnovers while collecting 24 points off the miscues. Meanwhile the UW offense hit a season-high 50.7 percent from the field as all five starters scored in double-figures led by Jolene Anderson with 20 points. UW outrebounded the Phoenix 37-25 and had its fewest turnovers of the year with 11.
Scouting Report
The Jackrabbits are 6-3 overall and 2-3 on the road. South Dakota State has four players averaging double figures this season, including leading scorers Maria Boever and Kristin Rotert, who each have 114 points this season, averaging 12.7 ppg. A sophomore, Boever is also the squad's leading rebounder averaging 6.6 per game, and has started all nine games. A freshman guard/forward, Rotert has seen minutes in every game, starting just four this year including the most recent game against Centenary.
Ketty Cornemann, who has started and played in five games this season, is averaging 13.7 ppg and five rebounds per game. She has a sprained ankle and will not play. Wisconsin native Andrea Verdegan is averaging 10.1 points per game, and is the team's assists leader, tallying 29 so far this season.
Last Time Out
SDSU is coming off a 67-51 win over Centenary (La.), in a game played in Shreveport, La., on Monday, Dec. 10. SDSU shot 50 percent in the second half to pull away from the Ladies, giving the Jackrabbits their first-ever Summit League victory. Boever led all scorers with 14 points, making 6-of-8 from the field. The forward also grabbed four offensive boards, for a combined seven rebounds in the game.
Verdegan and Rotert also tallied double digits in the game, scoring 10 points apiece. The win ended the Jackrabbits two-game losing streak started by a loss against Utah on Nov. 28 and a loss against Oral Roberts on Dec. 8.
Head Coach Aaron Johnston
Aaron Johnston is entering his seventh season as head coach of the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State University. Johnston made the program into a top tier Division II program before leading SDSU through a successful transition into the Division I ranks.
In his first four full seasons, Johnston led SDSU to three consecutive NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearances, including the first national championship in program history during the 2002-03 season. The Jackrabbits moved into the Division I ranks during the 2004-05 season, posting a 21-7 record, which included an 8-7 mark against Division I opponents.
A native of Pine Island, Minn., Johnston earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. After serving one year as an assistant coach at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, he moved onto SDSU as a graduate assistant for the men's team before becoming the assistant women's coach.
Preseason Kudos
South Dakota State's Jennifer Warkenthien was selected to be on the preseason all-conference second team. The Jackrabbits were picked to finish third in The Summit League behind Oral Roberts and Oakland.
The Series
Against the Badgers, SDSU leads the all-time series, 1-0, after defeating UW in Madison by three points, 68-65, on Dec. 8, 2005.
