Badgers look for in-state sweep Saturday
December 12, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Saturday afternoon, the Wisconsin women's basketball team closes the non-conference portion of its schedule with its final in-state rivalry game against Marquette. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the Kohl Center and tickets are still available. You can purchase tickets by clicking groupCode=W&linkID=wisc&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode="> --> here .
If you're unable to make it out to the Kohl Center, log onto BigTenNetwork.com to catch the live Web stream. Mike Heller will also be on the call on AM 1310, WIBA. Live stats, links to Yahoo!Radio and the Courtside Blog can be found on the sportid=135"> --> Game Day Page at UWBadgers.com.
Wisconsin has participated in in-state rivalry games since the 1974-75 season but the Badgers have not played UW-Milwaukee, Marquette and Green Bay every season. This year, Wisconsin is 2-0 in the state rivalry games and looks to compete its first in-state sweep since the 1976-77 regular season. The Badgers beat all three teams during the regular season but then lost to Marquette, 71-60 in the WWIAC State Tournament.
Wisconsin played all three Division I state schools last year and during the 2004-05 season. The Badgers tallied a 2-1 mark each of those seasons but in head coach Lisa Stone 's first year (2003-04), Wisconsin went 2-0 with wins at Green Bay and against UW-Milwaukee.
The Badgers (9-1) and the Golden Eagles are both out to a strong start. Wisconsin is currently on a nine-game winning streak while Marquette brings a 7-2 record into the Kohl Center. The Golden Eagles are led by Krystal Ellis, who is on the 'Wade Watch ' list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year. Ellis averages 18.0 points per game and she tied an Al McGuire Center record last weekend with 32 points in a 67-57 win over Kansas.
With their 9-1 record, the Badgers have the best non-conference record in the Big Ten Conference. Minnesota is right behind Wisconsin at 8-2 and Ohio State has a 7-2 mark. After Saturday's game, the Badgers have a week off from competition before opening up the conference schedule at home against Iowa on Monday, Dec. 22.
