RUTGERS SLIPS BY BADGERS
UW SHOWS PROMISE IN DEFEAT
Wisconsin State Journal
Nov 28, 1999
After watching Rutgers dismantle and dominate her young team last year,
Jane Albright used imitation as the greatest form of flattery.
"That's what we'd like to become," the University of Wisconsin women's
basketball coach said of the powerful Scarlet Knights, who advanced to
the final eight of the NCAA Tournament last season.
Saturday night at the Louis Brown Athletic Center, a crowd of 2,811 saw
just how much progress the Badgers have made toward achieving that goal.
But after driving up to Inspiration Point with a brilliant second half,
UW veered off track in the final moments and dropped a 63-61 decision at
the Coca-Cola Classic.
Eighth-ranked Rutgers closed the game on a 10-2 run, forcing the Badgers
(2-1) to recover quickly for this afternoon's game against Northeastern.
"This game had the fight of two teams not playing on Nov. 27," Albright
said. "I've said all along that we made our schedule to get ready for the
Big Ten Conference. If this doesn't get us tougher, nothing will."
Two free throws by forward Jessie Stomski capped a stunning 17-2 run that
put the 25th-ranked Badgers ahead, 57-51, with 4 minutes, 7 seconds remaining.
UW maintained a six-point lead into the final 2 minutes, but untimely fouls
and a tenacious Rutgers press turned the tide.
Guard Tamara Moore's basket in the lane gave UW its final lead, 61- 60,
with 53 seconds left. But Rutgers point guard Tasha Pointer promptly showed
why she is a national Player of the Year candidate, driving the lane and
putting her team ahead to stay with a tough scoop shot.
After a turnover by Moore, Pointer hit one free throw with 28.5 seconds
left. Her second shot was nullified by a lane violation - giving UW one
last chance. Guard Dee Dee Pate's pass in traffic was deflected and snared
by Rutgers as the clock ran out.
Moore led the Badgers with 19 points, including 12 in the second half when
UW stormed back from a 35-28 halftime deficit. Stomski added 13 points
while forward LaTonya Sims and freshman center Nina Smith each had 11.
"We all just wanted to play to our level and not their level," Moore said.
"Whatever they were doing in the second half, we really focused on adjusting
to it and putting the ball in the hoop."
Pointer led the Scarlet Knights (2-1) with 16 points, six rebounds and
four assists. Her floor leadership was critical down the stretch.
"Tasha gives us a lot more than just one player because she can do so many
things," Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said. "In the four years I've
been here, that was the greatest team effort I've seen from us. We've played
better at times, but everyone who was capable of giving us something did
just that."
Roughly 4 minutes after senior guard Kelley Paulus left the game with a
concussion after banging the back of her head on the floor, UW made its
move.
Trailing by 49-40 margin, the Badgers improved their interior passing against
Rutgers' pesky zone and wreaked havoc both in the lane and at the free-throw
line.
But despite outshooting and outrebounding the Scarlet Knights - and holding
them to just three field goals in the final 11 minutes - the end result
was heartbreaking.
"Defensively, they really picked it up a notch," Albright said of Rutgers'
late-game pressure. "Our kids really wanted to win this game, but this
will still help us down the line."
WISCONSIN
min fg fga ft fta reb pf a pt Sims 36 5 14 0 2 5 3 0 11 Stomski 33 3 5
7 7 5 3 2 13 N. Smith 31 4 7 3 4 6 4 0 11 Paulus 13 0 5 0 0 2 3 1 0 Moore
36 5 7 8 10 2 4 2 19 C. Smith 8 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Hefte 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Pate 18 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 Black 6 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 4 Seeger 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 Bird 6 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Konieczny 9 0 0 1 4 2 1 0 1 Totals 200 19 42 21
29 32 22 9 61
RUTGERS
min fg fga ft fta reb pf a pt Miles 40 5 6 2 2 5 1 1 12 Cunningham 15 2
4 1 3 0 5 1 5 Washington 24 2 5 0 0 2 1 1 4 Fowler 24 2 7 3 5 2 2 1 7 Horton
9 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Gilmore 5 2 3 0 2 1 2 1 4 Clemente 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 2
Walton 9 1 3 2 2 1 0 0 5 Stewart 23 0 6 5 6 3 3 2 5 Boonen 15 1 3 1 1 2
5 2 3 Pointer 35 6 10 2 2 6 3 4 16 Totals 200 21 48 18 25 28 22 14 63
Rebounding totals include team rebounds Wisconsin 2833 - 61 Rutgers 3528
- 63
3-point goals - Wisconsin 2-9 (Moore 1-2, Sims 1-3, Black 0-1, Paulus 0-3),
Rutgers 3-11 (Pointer 2-4, Walton 1-3, Washington 0-1, Horton 0-1, Stewart
0-2). Field-goal percentages - Wisconsin .452, Rutgers .438. Free-throw
percentages - Wisconsin .724, Rutgers .720. Turnovers - Wisconsin 21, Rutgers
15. Att. - 2,811.