Badgers notch exhibition win over UW-Oshkosh
October 31, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Moseley-led Badgers show off shooting skills
MADISON, Wis. — A new era of Wisconsin women's basketball under head coach Marisa Moseley started out with a bang Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center. The Badgers showed off their shooting prowess against UW-Oshkosh, winning an exhibition 81-47.
Wisconsin shot an impressive 54.4% (31-57) from the field, including 10-21 (47.6%) from 3-point range. UW was also tough from the free-throw line, where it hit 81.8% (9-11).
Four Badgers scored in double figures behind a game-high 15 points from junior Julie Pospisilova. Junior Sydney Hilliard added 13 points while grad transfer Katie Nelson put up 12 points. Fifth-year senior Alex Luehring added 11 points.
Nelson dished off six assists as Wisconsin handed off 23 assists in the game and turned the ball over only 10 times.
Oshkosh shot 33.3% (18-54), including 31.6% (6-19) from deep. The Titans were led by Nikki Arneson and Leah Porath with 12 points apiece.
Wisconsin also outrebounded the Titans, 34-24, behind six boards from Hilliard.
A new season and new coaching staff brings new energy and that was exactly what the Badgers brought to their win.
The Titans kept up with Wisconsin through the first quarter with the Badgers leading 21-16 at the first break. After that, the Badgers got rid of what Moseley called "first-game jitters" and began to inch away from UWO, finishing the first half on a 7-0 run, led by 11 first-half points from Hilliard.
The second half was a Wisconsin shooting clinic with the Badgers going 5-6 from the 3-point line to open up the third period. After picking up two fouls early in the first half, Pospisilova came out at the half to net three 3-pointers, totaling 11 points in the third period.
Nelson also saw success from the deep. Shooting 4-5 on the day, all from behind the line, the graduate transfer finished with 12 points and a game-high six assists in the guard position. Nelson also found some early season chemistry with new teammate Hilliard. The two combined for a plus-minus of 51 points on the court, leading the Badger backcourt to a win.
Luehring had four blocks on the day and looked very comfortable using her 6-foot, 2 wingspan to her advantage.
Wisconsin closed the game outscoring the Titans 17-7 in the final quarter.
Eleven Badgers saw the court in Sunday's exhibition with 10 notching points, including redshirt sophomore Lexi Duckett and freshman Krystyna Ellew netting their first career points in a Badger uniform. Duckett finished with seven points and Ellew contributed six.
Rounding out the Badger attack was junior forward Sara Stapleton, who added eight points, all in the first half, and Brooke Schramek who netted four points in a family feud match-up against her older sister, Kendal, who plays for the Titans.
Straight from the court
Head Coach Marisa Moseley
"To have fans back in the stands, to settle in after that first quarter where we seemed a little bit jittery and had Julie (Pospisilova) pick up two quick fouls and play without her, I'm really proud of their effort and hopefully our fans can appreciate the discipline, the organization and the style of basketball that we're going to play this year.
"We like to call our bench difference-makers instead of just subs. We want to call them difference-makers and we feel like when you come in, even if you're out of the game, you're still in the game so you know what's going on, what we're trying to do offensively, what we're trying to do defensively. I'm really proud of their effort and I feel like when one person went out and another person went in, there wasn't much of a drop-off and that's really what you want. You almost want to have it be like waves when you sub.
On Hilliard and Nelson's chemistry
"I think they really compliment each other well. Syd is phenomenal going downhill, getting into the lane, drawing defenders, kicking it out. Kate, we've really worked throughout her last three years at Boston and now here at Wisconsin at being ready to shoot... Those two are a great combination both at the top of our defense and also offensively playing off of one another making sure we know where each other are at."
Sophomore Forward Brooke Schramek
On playing against her sister
"During the game, I think both of us were just very focused. I was so happy for her to play, she really hasn't played in about four years because of her knee injuries so I was just super excited to see her out there, pushing herself and I know it had to be mentally to be out there and just focus and try to forget about the injuries and just play. So I'm happy for her and I'm happy we got to do it together."
On what it means to be a starter
"It means a lot to me and I have to thank my teammates especially because during practice if I get in my head, they're always pushing me and especially the coaches. I wouldn't be in the spot I am right now if it wasn't for my teammates and them pushing me and helping me with the reads and the plays."
Senior Guard Alex Luehring
"We just had so much fun and like Brooke said, it's been such a competitive atmosphere and everybody's really been pushing each other at practice. It felt really good, it felt amazing to have fans back at the Kohl Center and I think we really fed off that energy as well today.
"Just being able to play under Coach Mo right now, we're having so much fun and we have so much freedom in what we're able to do. She encourages us so much on what our strengths are. I think today you saw a lot of people's strengths starting to come out and work together."
Up next
Wisconsin plays its first official game of the season against St. Thomas on Nov. 10 at the Kohl Center. Starting a nine game non-conference slate, tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. with a stream available on B1G+.
