INSIDE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL BY DIANE NORDSTROM @BadgerWBBall SCHEDULE (5-11, 1-3)
Last Five Dec. 23 #18 Green Bay L, , 49-65 Dec. 30 #9 Ohio State #16 Penn State at #18 Purdue at Illinois
Jan. 2 Jan. 5 Jan. 8
This Week Thursday #15 Nebraska
Next Five Jan. 19 Jan. 22 Jan . 26 Jan. 30 Feb. 2
at Iowa
Northwestern at Minnesota Michigan Iowa
L, 61-77 L, 49-82 L, 52-63 W, 70-67
7 p.m.
7 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m.
6:30 p.m. 7 p.m.
Big step: Badgers pick
up first Big Ten win Wisconsin ends six-game losing streak
I
t was a long time coming, but the Badgers picked up
their first Big Ten win of the season at Illinois last Sunday. "I feel like we kept fight- ing and fighting and never getting a victory," said head coach Bobbie Kelsey. "It was a long time coming. This was our day today." UW ended a six-game los-
44 » VARSITY JANUARY 12, 2012
ing streak with a 70-67 win at Illinois, picking up its first win since Dec. 5. The Badgers won by shooting a season-best 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the field. Wisconsin also out- rebounded the Illini 29-26 and maximized its shots from the free throw line by going 8-for-9 at the stripe.
Covington leads Badgers » Kelsey challenged senior Anya Cov- ington to step up her game, and the 6-2 forward did just that. Cov- ington tied her career best with 19 points at Purdue on Jan. 5 and fol- lowed that up with 18 points at Il- linois on Sunday. She was 16-of-30 (53.3 percent) from the field on the week, hitting two shots in the last 2:43 of play at Illinois to seal the win. Coving- ton averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 re- bounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game on the week.
Paige seals win from line » Sophomore Morgan Paige went to the free throw line with seven sec- onds remaining at Illinois, calmly sinking two shots to give Wisconsin the 70-67 win.
That was the second time the
5-9 guard went to the line. She also sank two shots with 1:13 to go, giv- ing UW a 66-63 lead.