UW WBB: Badgers start new year off right

Jan. 1, 2009  From uwbadgers.com CHAMPAIGN, Ill.  – It was a great way to start the new year as the Wisconsin women's basketball team opened 2009 with a 53-38 win at Illinois on Thursday night. (We had) tremendous balanced scoring, a great job on the glass against a good rebounding team and just an unbelievable defensive performance," said UW coach Lisa Stone, who's team improves to 12-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference.  "I can't say enough about our players and their ability to adjust, step in when needed, play defense like we ask them to every day and continue to get some wins." The Badgers allowed the Illini (4-10, 0-3) to score only 38 points, a season low for a UW opponent, 10 of which came in the last few minutes of the game. Wisconsin had only one player in double-figure scoring, as Alyssa Karel led the Badgers with 13 points, but eight players scored four-or-more points. Lin Zastrow added nine points while Rae Lin D'Alie and Teah Gant chipped in eight and seven points, respectively. Mariah Dunham, Caitlin Gibson and Tara Steinbauer each scored four points. UW was less than stellar from the field, shooting just 37.2 percent (16-of-43) but held Illinois to 13-of-49 (26.5 percent) shooting. Wisconsin was 15-of-20 from the line, including 6-of-6 by Zastrow, while Illinois was 11-of-14. The Badgers edged the Illini, 34-32, in rebounds, led by nine from Dunham. D'Alie added five rebounds. Illinois' preseason All-Big Ten selection Jenna Smith led all scorers with 21 points, but was only 6-of-16 from the field. The Badgers held Lacey Simpson to only eight points and seven re bounds, below her season average of 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Smith also added seven rebounds.  "This Illinois team has one of the best post players in the country in Jenna Smith," said Stone. "Lacey Simpson and Chelsea Gordon are both tremendous athletes and we shut them down right from the get go. "Our players understand the game plan. We talked about staying in the paint. We wanted to pack it in the lane; it's perfect for the pack defense. Every time Jenna Smith got it in the lane, we got the double (team). Understanding personnel was huge for this game. I'm so impressed by this team's ability to make adjustments on the spot, whether you're at a time out or even on the fly." After turning the ball over its first three possessions, Wisconsin jumped out to a 6-0 lead off 3-pointers by D'Alie and Zastrow but Illinois came back to tie it a 6. The Badgers went on a 9-0 run to take a 15-6 lead with 10:17 on the clock. The Illini pulled within five (15-11) but a jumper from Karel stopped the run with a little over eight minutes remaining. "The way the game started, I was a bit concerned. We threw it away three straight times," said Stone. Illinois pulled within four at 19-15 off a jumper from Lacey Simpson with 5:52 left in the half but UW went on a 9-2 run to go up 28-17 at the half. The Badgers went 7-of-8 from the line to key the run. Wisconsin started out the second half much like the end of the first, going on a 7-0 run to go up 35-17 with 17:16 remaining. Led by five points from Karel, the Badgers upped their lead to 42-21 with 12:39 showing. UW led 44-23 off a layup from Caitlin Gibson with 10:25 on the clock but neither team scored from the field for more than four minutes. The Badgers were 2-of-3 from the line during the stretch while the Illini were 2-of-2 to put Wisconsin up 47-25 with 6:19 left to play. Smith scored an old-fashioned 3-point play with 5:55 remaining to end the scoring drought. Wisconsin scored six straight to go up 53-28 with less than five minutes to play. Smith and Simpson combined for the last 10 points of the game to pull Illinois within 15 at the buzzer. "We're not just playing great defense, but offensively taking it at them," said Stone. "I thought Lin Zastrow had an outstanding game – defensively she really adjusted but offensively, she secured the ballWisconsin continues its Big Ten road swing, playing at Northwestern (4-10, 0-3) on Sunday at 5 p.m.  The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network from Welsh-Ryan Arena. "The quick turnaround forces us to tune in and focus in on the next scouting report," said Stone." We're going to go against another great post player in Amy Jaeschke. Our game plan is similar. It's on to the next game."