Badgers Top Marquette, 67-48

Dec. 13, 2008

MADISON, Wis. - The Marquette women's basketball team couldn't overcome cold shooting and dropped a 67-48 decision at Wisconsin Saturday afternoon at the Kohl Center. The Golden Eagles (7-3) connected on a dismal 23.2 percent of their attempts from the floor. Meanwhile, the Badgers (10-1) collectively made 41.8 of its shots from the floor and had three players in double figures led by Alyssa Karel with a game-high 18 points and en route to their 10th straight win.

Sophomores Paige Fiedorowicz and Angel Robinson each scored nine points for MU in the loss.

The Badgers also owned the advantage on the glass pulling down 45, compared to 36 from Marquette. Prior to this loss, the Golden Eagles had been out-rebounded only two other times.

The Badgers jumped out to a quick 10-3 lead just over four minutes into the game and never looked back. The lead was pushed to 13 points, 16-3, 72 seconds later after Wisconsin scored back-to-back 3-pointers off consecutive Marquette turnovers.

Marquette answered with a mini 7-0 run that cut UW's lead to six points, 16-10, but the Badgers reclaimed the double-digit advantage (24-10) when Teah Gant knocked down a jumper, and Rae Lin D'Alie and Jade Davis drilled a pair from long range.

The Badgers maintained that lead and took a 13-point advantage, 37-24, heading into the locker room at half-time. Nine of the Golden Eagles' first-half points came from the charity stripe.

It was much of the same in the second half as the Golden Eagles came no closer than 11 points (37-26) of the Badgers early on in the second frame.

The Golden Eagles will open a two-game homestand next week at the Al McGuire Center. Marquette will host Oregon on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at Noon. The game can be seen live on Time Warner Sports Channel 32.

Terri Mitchell post-game quotes

Opening Statement:

"I think you look at the shot attempts--they are the same--and the 3-pointers and free-throw line and what really jumps out at me is the rebounding. We did not set each other up and when we got in the hole early we went the opposite way and started taking quick shots instead of setting each other up, so we just did not recover."

On the Wisconsin defense:

"They packed it in. We had open shots that we did not get in. I mean, we are a penetrating team and we kicked out and we did not get the shots. We did not get inside; we never established a post game and that is not just from today. We just got Jess Patchko back today and we are getting her back into the lineup and eventually she will be back in her starting position, so we are doing everything from the outside. It is hard when you are out and you do not have the easy bunnies inside."

On the in-state rivalry:

"There was a lot of emotion packed in this game and we lost. When you face adversity, you fall under it or you come to a new level or you get better. We played terrible. Period. I give Wisconsin a lot of credit. This is not one of those talks where it is like, `This is all about Marquette.' We played terrible.

We had a great week of practice. I mean, we are in finals and I was so surprised by how well we practiced this week considering finals and how difficult their lives have been, and it is almost like everything just caught up today. It looked like our feet were in the mud and Wisconsin took pure advantage of it. They are so unselfish and they are playing well and they have a lot of confidence and we were back on our heels and we just never recovered from it. If we played at the end like we played at the beginning, it would be a different story, but at that point, Wisconsin was cruising.

I wish them well and I think they are going to do great things in the Big Ten. For us, we need to move on to Oregon on Wednesday."