Twenty-two turnovers and 24 second-half points led the Wisconsin women’s basketball team (14-14) to an ugly 55–79 loss against the Purdue Boilermakers (12-15).
Wisconsin and Purdue entered the game ranking last and third-last among Big Ten teams in respective field goal percentage, but a thrilling first quarter saw the teams shoot a combined 19 of 29 from the field.
The explosive first quarter, which ended with the two teams tied at 21, was quickly contrasted by a second-quarter that became an ugly defensive duel. Both teams shot below 35% from the field with Wisconsin suffering a four-minute scoreless stretch.
A 31–34 Badger deficit could have been worsened if not for senior Natalie Leuzinger. Leuzinger, who entered the game averaging under seven points per game, piled up 10 points on five shots including a perfect 2 for 2 from deep.
Leuzinger said after the game that the performance was a confidence boost despite the loss.
“We have two games left in the regular season so I just hope it continues,” Leuzinger said. “I’m just gonna keep shooting it with confidence and hope it goes.”
Leuzinger’s impressive day would continue in the third to the tune of an additional six points to the total, but the senior’s eventual team-high 18-point performance became a bright spot on what was an inauspicious third quarter for Wisconsin.
After allowing Wisconsin to tie the game at 36 early in the period, the Boilermakers pulled away thanks to an ensuing 21–5 run. Purdue’s discipline-driven momentum continued throughout the fourth to the extent that a game tied at 36 ended in a 79–55 Purdue victory.
Purdue shot exactly 50% from both the field and from deep, making it the first time a team eclipsed both marks against Wisconsin since December of last season. The dreadful defensive performance ended a five-game streak where teams shot under 45% from the field against Wisconsin.
Despite earning her thirteenth-consecutive double-double, Sophomore Serah Williams was largely held in check by the Boilermakers. Williams shot five of thirteen from the field and scored 11 points which tied for her lowest since the team’s loss to Arkansas in November.
“There is no surprise that Serah is a weapon that we try to go to and so we thought we had an advantage shedding some of these ball screens in the zones,” head coach Marisa Moseley said after the game. “But they did a really nice job of collapsing so we needed to kick the ball.”
Wisconsin has struggled to capitalize off of Williams’ gravity with the team currently shooting 28.1% from deep, making Wisconsin the 281st ranked team in that category. The team made five of ten three-pointers in the first half but made just three of their twelve second-half shots from deep.
The Badgers play at Maryland on Thursday before wrapping up the regular season with a home bout this Sunday against Michigan State.
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