ALBRIGHT DEALS A BIG WINNER

THE BADGERS' BACKCOURT COMBO OF PAULUS AND BLACK SPARKS VICTORY.

Wisconsin State Journal

Dec 13, 1999

Authors: Nick Zizzo Sports reporter

Jane Albright claims not to be much of a card shark. But the way she dealt

two aces from the bottom of the deck Sunday would have made any dealer

or pit boss proud.

The University of Wisconsin women's basketball coach shuffled her rotation

and paired sharpshooters Kelly Paulus and Kyle Black in the backcourt for

long spells. The duo provided the spark needed to send the Badgers past

Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis, 68-55, before a matinee crowd of 7,810 at

the Kohl Center.

"I don't really know much about cards, but I know that you play the cards

that you have and if they don't work, you shuffle and you do whatever,"

Albright said.

Inconsistent play from the backcourt has forced Albright to look in different

directions this season. When Paulus, Black and freshman point guard Candas

Smith were teamed together, UW (5-3) took control in both halves.

Paulus scored seven of her 12 points off the bench during a 15-5 run that

turned a 13-11 Jaguars lead into a 28-18 UW advantage with 4 minutes, 30

seconds remaining in the first half.

Black added four points, three rebounds and dictated the game's tempo in

her 8 first-half minutes. Albright's chart also had the Badgers scoring

30 points off transition.

"When we push the ball, that's more my game," said Black, who scored a

season-high seven points in 18 minutes. "If I can get running and get my

legs working, I'm more comfortable."

Jessie Stomski put up her fourth double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds)

on the season and freshman Nina Smith had her first (14 points, 10 rebounds).

LaTonya Sims added 10 points to give the Badgers four players in double

figures. Jennifer Stucker led the Jaguars with 16 points.

The Jaguars (3-5) pulled within 43-34 with 10:55 left in the game. But

Paulus immediately scored on a three-point play and Black followed with

a 3-point shot. Two possessions later, Paulus added a jumper off the glass

and a free throw on the next trip down to pad the lead to 54-37.

"Kelley Paulus should be instant offense," Albright said. "When she's on

top of her game she has the ability to be instant offense and certainly

we need her to be able to do that."

The Badgers were able to snap their two-game losing streak despite shooting

a season-low 37 percent. It also didn't hurt that the Jaguars shot 35 percent.

"With the exception of our shooting percentage we played a very good basketball

game," Albright said.