UW WBB: Buckeyes cool off Badgers, 55-42 at the Kohl Center

Wisconsin held 16th-ranked Ohio State to its lowest point total this season Thursday night at the Kohl Center but couldn't outscore the Buckeyes in the 55-42 loss in front of 4,475 fans. The Badgers have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season and drop to 12-4 overall, 2-3 in the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State remains the lone unbeaten team in the Big Ten at 4-0 and improves to 13-2 overall. COMPLETE POST-GAME COVERAGE: http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/wbb/headlines/story.html?sportid=135&storyid=16355     * Final Box Score     * UW Cumulative Stats     * UW Big Ten Stats     * UW head coach Lisa Stone post-game quotes     * OSU head coach Jim Foster post-game quotes     * Post-game news conference video     * Game Notes     * Courtside Blog The Badgers had their worst shooting night in Kohl Center history, setting a new low at 25.5 percent. Wisconsin made just 13-of-51 attempts, including 5-of-17 in the first half. The Badgers doubled their shot total in the second half but only made three more field goals to go 8-of-34. Sophomore forward Lin Zastrow was the lone Badger in double figures with 11 points. Junior forward Mariah Dunham scored nine points, all of which came in the second half. Dunham also contributed three of the UW's 10 steals on the night. OSU finished 19-of-56 for 33.9 percent, a season low, and was led by 16 points from Jantel Lavender. Ashlee Trebilcock and Star Allen added 11 points apiece. The Buckeyes dominated on the boards, outrebounding Wisconsin 46-30. This was the UW's largest rebounding deficit this season. Lavender led all players with 15 boards and Allen added 12. Zastrow grabbed six rebounds for Wisconsin. Wisconsin ended the first half with 12 turnovers but finished with only 16 turnovers for the game, two fewer than the 18 giveaways by the Buckeyes. Turnovers plagued both teams early and there were 12 combined turnovers before the 10-minute mark. Wisconsin had six turnovers before the 12-minute mark but still maintained the 10-7 lead. After Teah Gant's layup put the score at 10-7 with 13:36 left, Wisconsin was without a field goal for more than eight minutes. OSU took advantage of UW's drought by going on 13-1 run to take the 20-11 lead with 5:45 left. Lavender scored eight of OSU's 13 points during the run. Sophomore guard Alyssa Karel hit 1-of-2 free throws to put the Badgers on the board for the first time in more than five minutes (14-11 with 8:33 showing) but Wisconsin did not convert on a field goal until Karel made a layup with 5:33 left in the half. That was Karel's lone field goal of the game as she finished 1-of-11 for five points, her lowest point total of the season. Wisconsin scored four unanswered points late in the half off two free throws by Zastrow and a layup by sophomore forward Tara Steinbauer to inch back within five (24-19) with 3:18 showing. OSU managed one more bucket and went into halftime with the 26-19 lead. Wisconsin's 19 points was the lowest tally in the first half this season. OSU went on a 7-0 run to start the second half and took its biggest lead of the game of 14 points at 33-19 (17:57 left). Wisconsin went 0-for-9 to start the half until a Dunham layup got the Badgers back on the board. The Badgers cut the lead to seven (33-26) with 14:48 left after Wisconsin scored on three-consecutive possessions. OSU got the momentum back on its side and went up by 14 points again at 41-27, outscoring the Badgers 8-1. Four different Buckeyes scored during the stretch. Wisconsin hung on though and inched its way back in until a Dunham 3-pointer and a fastbreak jumper by Gant put the Badgers within five at 45-40 with 5:29 remaining. That would be the closest Wisconsin got the rest of the way as OSU finished the game on a 10-2 run including a perfect 8 –of-8 from the free throw line. Wisconsin did not make a field goal from the 5:29 mark on and missed its final nine attempts. The Badgers look to get another mark in the win column when Michigan comes to town Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. inside the Kohl Center.