No player on the Michigan roster has ever beaten Wisconsin. But beating the Badgers is nothing new for Michigan women’s basketball coach Kevin Borseth.
The last time the Wolverines won a game against Wisconsin was four years ago.
Last season, as head coach of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Borseth led his squad to a 70-66 upset win over the Badgers. The Phoenix went 3-0 against Big Ten teams for the season, also beating Iowa and Minnesota.
Conquering Wisconsin didn’t come easily for Borseth, though. It took him nine years to defeat the Badgers.
The Wisconsin team facing Michigan tonight at the Kohl Center is almost identical to the squad Borseth faced a year ago. The Badgers returned all 13 letterwinners from last season.
“It’s not really a whole lot different,” Borseth said. “We’ll apply some of the same tactics we did at Green Bay.”
Borseth’s Wolverines run the same man-to-man defense and motion offense his team used last season.
“We do the things we do, we’re just doing them with different players now,” Borseth said. “We were probably a little more athletic last year, but we have more size with the players here.”
The Wolverines’ (3-2 Big Ten, 10-5 overall) last played Wisconsin in the final game of last season, losing by 22 points in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
In that game, the Badgers amassed 50 rebounds, which worries Borseth heading into tonight’s contest.
“They get 17 offensive rebounds per game, which is huge, and a lot of that is because their guards rebound so well,” Borseth said.
Michigan’s 37.2 rebounds per game rank last in the Big Ten. The Badgers are first with 46.5.
Last season, Wisconsin used the 3-pointer to blow out Michigan, shooting 47.6% from beyond the arc. Michigan hopes to turn the tables tonight.
The Wolverines have strived this season to improve their 3-point percentage. On Sunday against Michigan State, the Wolverines made 12 three-pointers in an upset over the Spartans.
Michigan will need a high 3-point percentage to keep up with Wisconsin’s offense. The Badgers are led by senior guard Jolene Anderson, who scored 42 points against Iowa in her most recent game.
Borseth knows Michigan will also need to play clean against an experienced Wisconsin squad.
“We’re going to do whatever we have to, take care of the ball and score baskets,” Borseth said.
Four years is a long time to go winless against a Big Ten foe, but Borseth hopes to end Michigan’s streak – and extend his own – against the Badgers.
Michigan at Wisconsin
Matchup: Michigan 10-5; Wisconsin 8-7
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Kohl Center
Radio:
WTKA 1050 AM