Just when the ‘Cats looked to be making a February run, Wisconsin chipped a Badger-sized hole in their tournament chances. McKeown’s crew took a beating in their 61-42 loss in Madison. A postseason dance is not out of the question, but with tough games against Iowa and No. 11-ranked Michigan State, the ‘Cats need to improve to keep their chances alive.
Hero of the game | Amy Jaeschke
Her accolades in our Game Rewinds may be repetitive, but her team-leading 15 points and eight rebounds proved why she is a top WNBA prospect. Shooting 7-of-15 from the field, Jaeschke was the go-to player when things got tough from the inside.
Stat of the game | 15.6 percent 3-point shooting
The number says it all. The ‘Cats struggled from outside the arc, but not for lack of trying. Making only 2-of-13 in the first half, the ‘Cats could not find their rhythm. They shied away from the 3-pointer in the second half, only going 1-for-6. Kendall Hackney struggled everywhere on the floor, shooting just 2-of-11 from the field with only one three. Adding to the bucket woes, Beth Marshall, a consistent outside threat, went 2-for-8. The ‘Cats need to figure out a shooting rhythm if they want a chance to stay with Iowa’s and Michigan State’s high intensity defenses.
Turning point | Four-point play by Lin Zastrow
Trailing by eight with 14 and a half minutes left in the game, the ‘Cats seemed to be going on a run. That is, until Jaeschke got a little too physical on a three pointer by Zastrow. Nailing both the three and the following free throw, Zastrow put her Badgers up by 12 and maintained the lead for the rest of the game. This play negated an earlier three by Marshall and gave the Badgers a cushion in both points and momentum to pull out the victory.
What to improve on | Shooting
It seems redundant to point out that the most fundamental part of shooting — making baskets — needs to improve for the ‘Cats. The fact of the matter is that 32 percent from the field, 15.8 percent from beyond the arc, and 50 percent free throw shooting will not win basketball games. The ‘Cats only scored 19 points in the second half largely because they struggled from the three-point line. Marshall and Hackney will need to get back their rhythm before Sunday’s home matchup against Iowa to continue February like it started, with a win.