MADISON — In the third game under new head coach Jonathan Tsipis, the Wisconsin Badgers played host to the Dayton Flyers, in a matchup of two teams looking for their first win of the season.
Wisconsin got off to a quick 8-2 start thanks to senior post players Avyanna Young and Kendall Shaw, as well as a three from freshman guard Kendra Van Leeuwen. The Flyers came right back with two three-pointers of their own, and it was 8-8 early into this one, which was very intense and competitive from the start.
After one quarter of play, the game was tied at 17. Shaw led the home team with eight points, and Jayla Scaife led a balanced Flyers attack with five.
Freshman Abby Laszewski opened up the second quarter for the Badgers with a very tough putback in the paint. Scaife and Badgers junior guard Cayla McMorris traded three-pointers, and Wisconsin led 24-20 halfway through the second after holding Dayton scoreless for over three minutes.
The Badgers defense really impressed in the first half, and helped lead them to an entertaining 29-25 lead at the half. McMorris led all scorers with 11, while Scaife still led the Flyers with 10 at the intermission.
Wisconsin could have led by even more but they had 13 turnovers in the first half, while Dayton had 12 themselves. There were some unforced, but many were due to some tough, physical defense from both teams.
Dayton’s Kelley Austria opened up the second half with a pretty left-handed layup, while Shaw quickly picked up her second and third fouls for Wisconsin. Sophomore Marsha Howard got on the board for the Badgers, but this was followed by another nice move by Austria for the Flyers.
The third quarter was the Austria show, as she scored seven points in under two minutes for the away team, and 10 in under five minutes to give Dayton the lead 42-36, their largest of the game at that point.
Freshman Gabby Gregory hit a beautiful, high-arching three-pointer in the third for the home team, but the Badgers couldn’t stop the Flyers. Dayton ended the quarter shooting 6/8 to close with the lead 56-45 after three.
There were some Badger highlights in the final quarter, including some tough drives and finishes by McMorris and Young, but Wisconsin couldn’t stop Dayton’s terrific outside shooting, including 66% in the second half. The Badgers dropped this one at home, 83-64.
The Badgers struggled defensively in the second half, but also had 23 turnovers. The team also grabbed only three less offensive rebounds than Dayton, but had 13 less second-chance points, at seven compared to the Flyers’ 20.
Coach Tsipis gave a very good summary of the game in his post-game press conference, stating, “I thought in the first half we played with unbelievable energy. I thought we changed defenses well, rebounded the ball well, we were plus eight at halftime. And I thought that initial spurt to start the second half, by a senior who’s back for her fifth year in Kelley Austria… we didn’t respond to that.”
Tsipis was certainly not happy about the team’s defense in the second half.
“You can’t give up 31 points in a quarter,” said Tsipis. “I don’t care who you’re playing.”
On a positive note, the Badgers coach has been pleased with the offensive efforts of McMorris thus far this season.
“I think she’s had a great aggressiveness about her. She had five offensive rebounds so she scored a couple baskets that way, she got to the free throw line,” said Tsipis. “I think that when you get some baskets that way, especially as a perimeter player, the hoop starts to open up for you.”
Nevertheless, Wisconsin’s first-year coach had some strong words to close out his opening statement, as he is really focused on wins and losses, even this early in the season with a very young team that includes two freshmen in the starting lineup.
“Woulda-coulda-shouldas don’t count, and I’m not here for moral victories. We’re going to get better, and we’re going to improve as a team and get ready for Butler on Sunday.”
The Badgers host Butler (2-1) at the Kohl Center this Sunday at 2:00 pm.