IU's shooters go cold in 55-47 women's loss to Wisc.

Three seems to be Wisconsin’s magic number.  

The Badgers are ranked third in a competitive Big Ten race, and they beat IU at Assembly Hall for only the third time ever.  

But it was not the 3-point game that led the Badgers to victory, rather their staunch defense.  

“If we can wear teams down due to our defense, it helps your offense,” Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone said. “We generate energy offensively from our defense. We’re a defensive team, and its our identity.”  

However, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack felt that while defense played a big part in the Badgers’ win, their size had more pull.  

“I think that some of us kind of saw the trap or saw the hedge and kind of conceded,” Legette-Jack said. “And when you concede, it shows fear, and when you show fear, then the opponents know they got you.”  

Two of the three top scorers of the team were non-factors. Senior guard Jamie Braun, averaging 12 points per game going in, collected 3 rebounds and 1 turnover. Junior forward Hope Elam had 2 points and 4 rebounds while playing with foul trouble the entire game before fouling out.

The only IU players to show up offensively were junior guards Jori Davis and Whitney Lindsay, combining for 33 points.  

Due to Davis’ contributions, the Hoosiers were able to stick with the Badgers and reach halftime only down by two points. But after the break, everything went downhill for the Hoosiers, as the Badgers jumped out to a 14-0 run to start the second half.  

While Davis had an impressive shooting day, it did not measure up to her standards as she felt she wasn’t able to capitalize on some of her opportunities.

However, she felt that her game did help the Hoosiers stay in the game.  

“It was just crucial to hit that open shot because they were so big inside,” Davis said. “It was just important for me to take the one dribble pull-up when they gave it to me, and that’s what they let me have.”

Noticeably missing from the mix was sophomore guard Ashlee Mells. Mells averages 4.2 points per game but was not present on the bench during the Wisconsin game.  
When asked about Mells’ absence, Legette-Jack had little to offer.  

“I don’t know,” Legette-Jack said. “I don’t know where she was, but she’s indefinitely suspended.”  

Now she has three players that are inactive due to either injury or, in Mells’ case, suspension. But for now, with or without the three players, the Hoosiers will keep on fighting.  

“We’ll keep getting better, we’ll keep fighting,” Legette-Jack said. “There’s no quit in us, and at the end of the day these young ladies are playing for something bigger than the game of basketball.

“I assure you, for the most part on this team, our character is very, very high.”