When the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team (13-15, 4-13 Big Ten) took the Kohl Center floor Wednesday, it was clear they were in for a challenge. 6-foot-8 forward Lauren Betts and the second-ranked UCLA (27-1,16-1) loomed large opposite head coach Marisa Moseley and the Badgers. UCLA spent 12 weeks atop the AP Poll before being upended by USC on Feb. 13.
Wednesday’s contest went as expected, as the Badgers led for just over a minute of game time before ultimately falling 91-61.
The contest provided another learning opportunity for Wisconsin.
“You look at UCLA tonight… that’s what we’re trying to get this program to be,” Moseley said. “As much as we have been able to [elevate this program] over the last four years, there’s obviously still a gap…playing teams like this, you get to actually feel it and see it.”
Juniors Ronnie Porter and Serah Williams were among the few bright spots for Wisconsin. The pair were the only Badgers to score in double figures, with Williams logging 22 points and five rebounds and Porter accumulating 13 points, three rebounds and three assists across a team-high 33 minutes.
Betts highlighted the Bruins’ attack, establishing her presence early and overpowering Wisconsin in the post. In the first half alone, Betts tallied 20 points on 8-9 shooting to go along with eight rebounds. She played only 10 minutes in the second half, winding up with 26 points and 10 rebounds without committing a turnover.
Part of what makes Betts and the Bruins so unstoppable offensively is the three-point threats that surround the star center. Forwards Angela Dugalic, who racked up six points, four assists and two rebounds and Timea Gardiner’s 14 point, 10 rebound and two assist performance combined to shoot 6-for-8 from three-point range, preventing the Badgers from effectively double-teaming Betts.
.sno-67c497c26a273 {
background-color: #ffffff;border: 5px solid #888888;box-shadow: -1px 0 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 12%), 1px 0 2px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 12%), 0 1px 1px 0 rgb(0 0 0 / 24%);margin: 30px auto; float: none;}
.sno-67c497c26a273 h5 {
color: #000000;
}
As a team, UCLA went 10-for-25 on threes, with seven of those makes coming in the second half to balloon its lead.
Despite the lopsided score, Wisconsin put up a quality effort early. Noise levels inside the Kohl Center reached a high midway through the first period, when Porter chased down a loose ball and put up a prayer three-pointer at the end of the shot clock. The shot found nothing but nylon, putting the Badgers within two points – or so it seemed.
The shot was waived off at the next timeout, as the officiating crew deemed the ball didn’t leave Porter’s hands before the buzzer. UCLA would go on a 6-0 run after the reversal, and the nine-point swing pushed the Bruins’ advantage into double figures and neutralized Wisconsin’s momentum.
Betts’ consistent looks in the paint got sophomore Carter McCray and Williams into foul trouble early, with each Badger forward picking up their second infraction during the second quarter. As a result, freshman Allie Bisballe saw extended playing time. The 6-foot-4 forward totaled seven points and made a three-pointer over 16 minutes of play.
The loss snapped a two-game win streak and dropped Wisconsin to 13-15 on the season and 4-13 in conference play. However, the Badgers clinched a spot in the Big Ten Tournament after the conference issued Northwestern a pair of losses from games against UCLA and USC that were initially postponed due to the wildfires in California back in January.
The Badgers have one regular-season game left on its schedule, as they’ll travel to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes at 3 p.m. on Sunday.