MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin women's basketball team (10-9, 3-6 B1G) defeated Rutgers (6-16, 0-9 B1G), 73-62, in its game Saturday, Jan. 27, played inside the Kohl Center. Serah Williams had a career night, tying her career-high in points with 31 and claiming her sixth-consecutive double-double, tied for third all-time in consecutive games with a double-double.

Celebrating both Girls and Women in Sports Day and Alumni Day at the Kohl Center, Wisconsin brought the energy early on to match that of the crowd's. Williams struck first with a layup, with Ronnie Porter to follow, and after just three minutes the team was already up 6-2. Wisconsin's offense reigned superior in quarter one, with Williams contributing eight points, but the Badgers were absolutely suffocating to the Scarlet Knights on defense. Williams blocked Rutgers three times to move to seventh in all-time blocks with a total of 111. The team let up just 3 points overall, tied for the second-fewest points allowed in one quarter in Badger history, and a Natalie Leuzinger layup at the buzzer put Wisconsin ahead 22-3.

All the momentum Wisconsin amassed in the first quarter translated seamlessly into the second, with Williams picking right back where she left off on the offensive end. The sophomore dropped Wisconsin's first seven points, including a three pointer, marking the second-consecutive game she's drained a shot from behind the arc. Brooke Schramek and Halle Douglass joined the three-point club, each notching one of their own, and suddenly another quarter had passed, with Wisconsin maintaining a dominant lead, up 37-22.

D'Yanis Jimenez got in on the action early in the second half, delivering the Badgers' first field goal and getting the Badgers started after the halftime intermission. Williams was quick to follow, bringing her point total up to 22, before she was forced to exit with four fouls. Wisconsin found a way to drop in a last minute shot, courtesy of Schramek, and Wisconsin continued its lead, ahead of Rutgers 51-36 heading into the final quarter.

Douglass led off the final stretch with a layup to notch her ninth point the game, tying her season-high. Rutgers came out with a late game push, but the Badgers were not ready to give up the lead they had sustained for the entirety of the contest. Immediately after the Scarlet Knights trimmed the lead down to four, the Badgers came storming back with a vengeance. Jimenez sank a turnaround jumper and Williams followed up with a three pointer, the first time she's scored two threes in a game in her career. Just moments later, the sophomore dropped in another bucket, her 31st point which tied her career high set on Jan. 11, 2023 against Michigan State.

Wisconsin shot 41.7% (25-60) from the field range, and 19.2% (5-26) from 3-point range. The Badgers shot 81.8% (18-22) from the free-throw line. Wisconsin never trailed Rutgers, and led by as many as 19 points in the contest.

Rutgers went 35.6% (21-59) from field-goal range, including 36.4% (4-11) from behind the arc. The Scarlet Knights were 76.2% (16-21) from the charity stripe. Rutgers' leading scorer was Mya Petticord, who dropped 15 points and delivered six rebounds. 

Notes to know

• The Badgers made history, giving up three points in the first quarter, tied for the second-fewest points the team has given up in a single quarter. The fewest the team has allowed was two points to Rutgers back on Feb. 18, 2017.

• Serah Williams moved into seventh in all-time blocks, with a total of 111.

• Williams secured her ninth double-double of the season, and sixth consecutive one, tying Imani Lewis for third all-time in consecutive games with a double-double.

• The sophomore delivered 31 points, which tied her career high previously set on Jan. 11, 2023 against Michigan State.

• Ronnie Porter secured her career-high in assists with nine.

• The Badgers never once trailed the Scarlet Knights on Saturday, leading by as many as 19 points in the contest.

Up next

Wisconsin heads out onto the road to face No. 12 Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m.inside the Schottenstein Center. The game can be streamed on Big Ten Network or listened to on 1070 WTSO-AM.