Wisconsin Badgers
Ohio State
Bauman for 3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3: Junior makes UW record eight 3-pointers
January 29, 2015 | Women's Basketball
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| Jan. 29, 2015
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin women's basketball team fell 85-73 to Ohio State at the Kohl Center on Thursday night, but the loss wasn't the story of the game. That belongs to Nicole Bauman, who recorded a career-high 31 points by draining a Wisconsin record eight 3-pointers.
The junior seemed to have an answer to every Buckeye run and kept the Badgers in the game. Bauman scored 16 of the Badgers' 33 first-half points and finished the game shooting 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) from the field, including 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from behind the arc. The guard broke the old mark of seven 3-pointers, set by Kyle Black vs. Holy Cross on Dec. 2, 2001.
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Wisconsin (7-13 overall, 3-7 Big Ten) finished the game shooting 44.4 percent (28-of-63), its fifth-straight game shooting better than 42 percent. UW went 12-of-24 (50 percent) from 3-point range. The 12 3-point makes tied the UW school record and set a new Kohl Center mark, breaking the old record of 11 set four times before.
The Buckeyes (14-7, 6-3) won the game with balanced scoring as four players scored in double figures. OSU shot 33-of-66 (50 percent) and hit 9-of-24 (37.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
"We ran into another hot team," head coach Bobbie Kelsey said. "They couldn't miss in the first half and then we picked up our scoring in the second half, but then they scored a couple more baskets. And that's the difference in the game. Nicole Bauman really showed her ability to knock down open shots..."
Senior AnnMarie Brown scored a season-high 10 points, one short of her career high, on 2-for-2 shooting from 3-point range, as the only other Badger in double figures.
Fifth-year senior Cassie Rochel recorded three blocks, which moves her into a tie for second in UW history for career blocks with 156. Rochel also chipped in eight points and shared game-high honors with 11 rebounds.
Junior Tessa Cichy dished out a career-high eight assists as Wisconsin had a season-high 24 helpers, while turning the ball over 17 times.
"I'm proud of the kids, they worked hard," Kelsey said. "They had 24 assists and I like that number. The turnovers were a little high, but not as bad as we can sometimes be in that area. We'll just keep working."
Ohio State was on fire to start the game, jumping out to a 15-2 lead with 16 minutes to play in the first half. A 16-9 run for Wisconsin would pull the Badgers within six, 24-18, with 8:23 remaining but a 10-0 Buckeye run extended OSU's lead to 34-18 with 5:51 to go. Ohio State led by as a many as 17 points (45-28) in the first half with UW cutting it to 46-33 at the half.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Bauman at the 19:34 and 18:38 marks started the second half strong for the Badgers, pulling UW within nine (48-39). Another Bauman three made it a 50-42 game with 17:38 to play, but the Buckeyes pushed a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 17 (59-42) with 15:06 remaining.
Another three from Bauman (9:37) propelled an 11-5 run for Wisconsin to pull UW within seven, 69-62, at the 6:55 mark. But the Badgers would get no closer as Ohio State used three 3-pointers to build an 18 point lead (85-67) with 1:32 left and cruised to an 85-73 victory.
Freshman Kelsey Mitchell, the country's leading scorer who entered the game averaging 25.9 points per game, led the Buckeyes with 23 points while Ameryst Alston added 19 points. Alexa Hart had a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards.
"They're very athletic and when they catch it, they are ready to shoot," Kelsey said. "They're shot ready. There's not thinking about it. And they can all handle the ball and create a shot for themselves or others."
UW went to the line just nine times, making five for 55.6 percent, while the Buckeyes went to the line 14 times, making 10 for 71.4 percent.
Ohio State outrebounded the Badgers 40-35, scoring 12 second-chance points. OSU also scored 19 points off UW turnovers.
The Badgers are back in action on Sunday when they face Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. from the State Farm Center.
