WHO: Wisconsin Badgers (5-3)
WHEN: 1:30 PM CT (Sunday, December 10)
WHERE: Kohl Center (Madison, Wisconsin)
TV: Big Ten Network
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network
ONLINE: https://www.foxsports.com/live
MOBILE: foxsports.com/mobile
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome | @IowaWBB | @IowaonBTN
At many schools, winning six of 18 conference games like Wisconsin did last year would be considered a very poor season. For Wisconsin, though, it was the team's best Big Ten season since 2011. That's the level of rebuild coach Marisa Moseley stepped into when she took the Wisconsin job back in 2021.
Moseley's results in two seasons have been mixed. She went 8-21 in her first season, and improved marginally to 11-20 in her second year. Her conference results (5-13 in 2021-22, 5-12 in 2022-23) have been better by comparison.
Wisconsin's results this season have also been mixed. The Badgers hold victories over Boston College and South Dakota State, a typically strong mid-major. They also got blown out by Kansas State, lost a close game to Arkansas, and lost to a Butler team that Iowa State beat 82-55.
Wisconsin will probably slot in somewhere in the bottom third of the Big Ten by season's end, though the team is still young. If Moseley can keep the group together, perhaps the Badgers can push for a mid-conference finish in future seasons.
Stats for this preview are from HerHoopStats.
Top Players
6'4" post Serah Williams is Wisconsin's star, averaging 15.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 3.1 bpg. Offensively, Williams is good, though somewhat inefficient. She is shooting 49.4% on 2-point attempts and 25.0% on 3-point tries. Both numbers are lower than you'd like to see. She is also averaging 3.8 turnovers per game, which is a very high number for a post player. Defensively, Williams is very good. She's an active shot-blocker and is good on the defensive glass.
Ronnie Porter is a 5'4" guard averaging 10.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, and 3.0 spg. She is shooting 42.6% inside the arc and 25.0% from beyond the arc. With Porter, scoring is secondary. She is an excellent rebounder for her height, leads the team in assists per game, and is in the 99th percentile for steals per game. Porter can have a big impact on the game without scoring many points.
5'7" guard Sania Copeland is Wisconsin's final double-digit scorer, averaging 10.1 ppg, 3.5 apg, and 1.5 spg. Copeland is shooting 70.0% on 2-point shots and 35.7% from deep, though those numbers are a little deceptive. She averages 2.5 2-point attempts per game and 5.3 3-point attempts. Her strong shooting from inside the arc is likely due to limited volume so far.
Play Style
Wisconsin averages 74.1 possessions per 40 minutes, which ranks in the upper quarter of all teams. Despite playing quickly, the Badgers averages just 66.1 points per game, which ranks 154th. They are better defensively, allowing 61.5 points per game, which is good for 109th nationally.
Offensively, Wisconsin is hampered by turnovers, poor offensive rebounding, and poor free throw shooting. The Badgers turn the ball over 17.8 times per game on average, which ranks 242nd. They're worse at free throw shooting, as their 66.4% rate at the line ranks 254th. Somehow, Wisconsin's offensive rebounding is worst of all. The Badgers grab 8.0 offensive boards per game, which ranks 340th nationally.
Defensively, the Badgers are much better at rebounding. Their 29.3 defensive rebounds per game ranks 39th nationally. They are also very good at defending around the basket. Wisconsin's opponents have made 37.2% of their 2-point attempts, which ranks 10th nationally. The Badgers also block 4.5 shots per game, which ranks 49th.
X-Factor
Spread the offense around. Caitlin Clark is averaging 21.8 shots per game this season, but her shot attempts differ drastically in close games versus comfortable victories.
In Iowa's four toughest games of the season (two games against Kansas State, the neutral site game against Virginia Tech, and the road game at Iowa State), Clark has averaged 29.8 shots per game. In the other six games that Iowa has won comfortably, she's averaged 16.5 shots per game.
The trend is becoming clear. If Iowa can get more scoring from players not named Clark, the offense excels. If Clark is forced to take most of the team's shots, the offense struggles because teams can devote more resources to challenging Clark.
On paper, Wisconsin is a team that the Hawkeyes should beat comfortably to extend their winning streak over Wisconsin to 28 games. But so was Iowa State. Iowa got too Clark-dependent in that game until Kate Martin and Sydney Affolter stepped up late.
Hannah Stuelke's return should help balance Iowa's offense. Stuelke is tied for second on the team in points per game at 11.6 despite several games (Drake, Northern Iowa, and Iowa State) where her minutes were limited.
