What to watch in Big Ten play as Wisconsin women’s basketball tries to build off best start in 15 years

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MADISON – The Wisconsin women’s basketball team achieved a minor milestone last week that spoke to the state of Badgers hoops one-third of the way through the season.

They received votes in the USA Today Coaches poll.

Yes, Wisconsin was playing so well that it inspired at least a few voters to include the team in their top 25 polls. UW received 15 points in the Dec. 17 poll, which put the Badgers 31st overall.

The attention was fleeting − the Badgers received no votes in this week’s poll – but the team’s success continued with a 69-59 victory over Albany on Dec. 20 to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule.

Wisconsin (10-2) is off to its best 12-game start since the 2009-10 season, the last time the Badgers made the NCAA Tournament.

The next challenge is to transfer that success to the Big Ten, which has seven teams ranked in the coaches or Associated Press polls and two others that are receiving votes.

The conference season resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday at Indiana (9-3, 1-0 Big Ten).

Here are four keys for the Badgers to continue their winning ways against the Big Ten.

Serah Williams must continue to shine

A first-team all-Big Ten player and the conference’s reigning defensive player of the year, junior forward Serah Williams is averaging career highs for points (20), rebounds (12.3), assists (2.8) and blocks (2.83). She ranked second in the nation in rebounds per game and is fifth in blocks per game.

Wisconsin’s Serah Williams averages 20 points per game and ranks second in the nation in rebounds and fifth in blocks.

The combination of her increase in assists and decrease in turnovers (by one per game) has left her with about a 1-to-1 assist-turnover ratio after being in the negative in that category during her first two seasons.

She must continue to be the player that is counted on to produce consistently.

Continue to make good decisions with the ball

Williams isn’t the only Badger doing a better job of eliminating turnovers. It is a trend that is running…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-big-ten-play-wisconsin-110521314.html

Author : Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Publish date : 2024-12-27 11:05:00

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