Starting Five: Wisconsin hosts Eastern Illinois Thursday
December 21, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Badgers wrap up non-conference season in holiday game
| Venue | Kohl Center, Madison, Wis |
| Game Notes | Wisconsin | Eastern Illinois |
| Season Statistics | Wisconsin | Eastern Illinois |
| Stream | B1G+ |
| Radio | Listen Live on U100.9 FM |
| Live Stats | vs. Eastern Illinois |
| Social Media | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
| Tickets | vs. Eastern Illinois |
MADISON, Wis. — The Badgers (3-9, 0-2 B1G) round out their non-conference season with at matchup against Eastern Illinois on Thursday from the Kohl Center. Tip-off is scheduled for noon streamed live on B1G+.
Here are five things to know before tuning in.
1. POWER AT THE POINT: In Wisconsin's last time out against Illinois State, junior Sydney Hilliard and senior Katie Nelson finished with 17 points apiece. Both Badgers shot 71 percent from the field and Nelson went 5-6 (80%) from 3-point range while putting up five assists en route to leading Wisconsin to a 70-60 win over the Red Birds. The 17 points for Nelson marked a season high for the grad transfer as she also dished out a game high five assists on the night.
2. DAZZLING DOUGLASS: After missing the first two games of the season with an injury, sophomore guard Halle Douglass has seen her name called more and more as the season goes on. Against Illinois State on Dec. 16, Douglass put up six new career highs with 12 points, shooting 5-7 from the field and 2-4 from 3-point range. She also added a career-high nine rebounds while playing 36 minutes.
3: SHOOTING FOR THE STARS: Wisconsin has upped its shooting over the last three games, hitting 47.5% (75-158) from the field, including 44.3% (27-61) from 3-point range. The Badgers have also made 10 3-pointers in each of the last two contests. Junior Sydney Hilliard leads the charge, shooting 66.7% (14-21) from the field while Katie Nelson is shooting 57.1% (8-14) from the field, including 66.7% (6-9) from behind the arc. Halle Douglass also shoots 50% (5-10) from field goal range.
4. BATTLING BROOKE: Sophomore Brooke Schramek has scored in double figures in three out of the last four games, averaging 12.0 points per game over the stretch. The guard scored a career-high 18 points at Northwestern on Dec. 5. Schramek is shooting 50% (17-34) from the field and 68.9% (11-16) from the free-throw line over the last four games. She also adds 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
5. SCOUTING THE PANTHERS: After starting the year 4-0, Eastern Illinois has hit a mid-season slump going 1-6 in the past month for an overall record of 5-6 on the season. With an offense averaging 67.5 points per game, the Panthers have the ability to score with two double-digit scorers -- junior guard Lariah Washington and senior center Abby Wahl, who average 14.0 and 12.3 points per game, respectively. Shutting down this high-low combo for Eastern Illinois will be key the Badgers finishing their non-conference schedule with a win. Offensively for Wisconsin, the Panthers average over 12 steals per game, meaning the Badgers will have to take care of the ball to minimize points off of turnovers.
