Hoosiers fall at Wisconsin 65-57

Sometimes the final score doesn’t tell the whole story.

The box score can’t measure the effort of a team playing the rest of its season while knowing that no off-season awaits it.

The IU women’s basketball team’s 65-57 loss at Wisconsin on Wednesday will be recorded as its third-straight loss, but won’t show the story behind the numbers.

The Badgers (15-12, 10-5) led for the first 25 minutes of the game, going up by as much as 14 points with 12:56 remaining in the first half.

However, IU (9-18, 3-12) chipped away at the Wisconsin lead to tie the game at 35 with 14:46 left in the game off of an Aulani Sinclair layup.

The Hoosiers were able to hold onto a slim advantage for nearly five minutes before Wisconsin was back on top with 9:08 to go in the game.

IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack’s squad would come to within one point with nearly four minutes left before the Badgers pulled away for the win.

Wisconsin senior forward Lin Zastrow led all players in points and assists. She would finish the game with 21 points, five assists and six rebounds. Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone said she expects this from her senior leader.

“When we needed Lin, she came in and she was ready. She responded,” Stone said.

For the Hoosiers, seniors Jori Davis and Hope Elam were the scoring leaders, chipping in 17 and 16 points, respectively. Although IU shot 31 percent from three-point range, Elam was the hot-shooter, making 5-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 three-pointers.

However, strong defense and free-throw shooting from the Badgers — they shot 18-of-22 from the line — was too much for IU on the road.

“All we could do is fight,” Legette-Jack said. “We can’t look at things happening, we can’t look at it like somebody grabbed our arm or things going bad for us. All we can do is fight because at the end of the day it’s not about the score, it’s about building your character when you’re on the floor and that’s what we talk about.”