UW UNABLE TO BOUNCE

BACK MARQUETTE'S OLDENBURG, WILLENBORG ARE TOO MUCH

FOR BADGERS TO HANDLE

Wisconsin State Journal

Dec 9, 1999

Authors: Jon Masson Sports reporter

University of Wisconsin women's basketball coach Jane Albright was confident

her team would rebound from Sunday's disappointing 23- point loss to Tennessee.

But Lisa Oldenburg, Abbie Willenborg and stifling defense by Marquette

kept the Badgers from bouncing back Wednesday.

Golden Eagles senior forward Oldenburg had game-high totals of 25 points

and 15 rebounds and senior center Willenborg added 19 points as Marquette

defeated intra-state rival Wisconsin, 69-65, before 2,508 spectators at

the Milwaukee Arena.

The victory was the sixth straight for Marquette (7-1),which defeated UW

for the second consecutive season. The Badgers (4-3), who were led bysophomore

guard Tamara Moore's season-high 24 points, dropped their second straight

game.

"They were a better team than we were tonight," Albright said. "I think

they were a more experienced team. . . . I think they were exceptional.

They were extremely well-coached. They knew who to get the ball to and

do a very good job of it."

Albright complimented Marquette's defense, but also said the Badgers needed

to do a better job getting the ball inside.

UW freshman center Nina Smith was limited to four field-goal attempts,

making all four and ending up with eight points. Forward Jessie Stomski

was 4-for-9 and scored 11 points, but said she was stymied because she

received the ball at awkward spots on the floor. UW forward LaTonya Sims

had 13 points, but was 4-for-18 from the field.

"The main difference in that team and our team was they are disciplined

to get the ball inside to their post people and we are not," Albright said.

"We did not do that very efficiently."

The Golden Eagles mixed defenses, using primarily zone.

"We went into the game with an incredible respect for Wisconsin's inside

game," Marquette coach Terri Mitchell said. "You have to pick your battles.

We were going to play off the guards and pack it inside."

Marquette, after leading, 30-29, at halftime, used a 10-0 run to grab a

55-46 lead with 9 minutes, 16 seconds left to play. A 3-point shot by Moore

completed a 10-3 run by UW, cutting the deficit to 58- 56.

Marquette built the edge again. Oldenburg's 15-foot jumper from the left

wing made it 66-59 with 2:59 left. UW rallied, and two free throws by Sims

closed the gap to 67-65 with 56.2 seconds left.

After Moore forced a turnover, Sims missed a 12-footer with 25 seconds

left. Marquette forward Heidi Bowman made one free throw with 24.1 seconds

to play.