Wisconsin Badgers
13-15,6-12Big Ten
Michigan State University
22-7,12-6Big Ten
Badgers fall to Spartans, 78-52
March 03, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Wisconsin falls to Mighigan State on senior day
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin women's basketball team (13-15, 6-12 B1G) fell to Michigan State (22-7, 12-6), 78-52, Sunday, Mar. 3 inside the Kohl Center.Â
In celebration of senior day, all four Badger seniors, Halle Douglass, Natalie Leuzinger, Brooke Schramek and Sacia Vanderpool got to start. Leuzinger initiated the Badger scoring, notching back-to-back threes at the game's start and Serah Williams followed up with two layups of her own to push Wisconsin up 10-8. The Michigan State offense pushed the pace, but Wisconsin continued to find a response on both the offensive and defensive ends. Schramek tied her career-high in blocks with three and the Badgers held the Spartans to the fewest points they have scored all season. The score was 14-all after the first ten minutes.
Heading into quarter two, the Michigan State offense started to heat up. The team was relentless in its shot-making, claiming 27 points this quarter. Williams responded well, taking credit for 10 of the Badgers' points in this span and claiming two blocks to assert herself as fourth all-time in program blocks with 132. Heading into the half, Wisconsin trailed, 41-26.
Entering quarter three, Ronnie Porter struck first with a layup but a Michigan State response was soon to follow. The teams went on to trade points until Tessa Grady drained a three to lessen the gap. Michigan State was playing quite aggressive basketball which created a high-intensity end to the game. Vanderpool came in at the end and drained a bucket and the seniors left one by one to rambunctious applause from the crowd in their last regular season home game in the Kohl Center.Â
Wisconsin shot 37.0% (20-54) from the field and 30.4% (7-23) from 3-point range. The Badgers shot 100% (5-5) from the free-throw line. Wisconsin led in rebounds 32 to 28 and in assists, 11 to 10.
Michigan State shot 49.1% (27-55) from field-goal range, including 35.3% (6-17) from behind the arc. The Spartans were 90.0% (18-20) from the charity stripe. MSU was led in scoring by Moira Joiner, who recorded 20 points (6-11 FG, 4-7 3FG, 4-4 FT).
Notes to know
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Serah Williams recorded her 15th-straight double-double, notching 17 points and 15 rebounds. She tied Megan Gustafson's Big Ten record of 15 consecutive double-doubles set in the 2018-19 season.
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With two blocks on the afternoon, Williams moved into fourth all-time in program blocks, surpassing Abby Laszewski.
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Wisconsin awaits the results of the remainder of the Big Ten games being played today to solidify its seeding in the conference tournament. At time of release, Wisconsin Women's Basketball currently sits in 10th place.Â
Up next
Wisconsin heads to Minneapolis, Minn. to partake in the Big Ten Tournament. The event begins Wednesday, Mar. 6 inside the Target Center and runs through Mar. 10.
