Lady Badgers Can't Recreate Challenge Magic

Wednesday night the men's basketball team crushed their ACC/Big Ten Challenge opponent at the Kohl Center. The following night the Lady Badgers would have their shot, but the results would not be as good.

At the start of the game it looked as if the match-up would be a back and forth affair. Wisconsin scored first, and the Blue Devils answered. Duke would put together a run, but the Badgers would climb back into it. Following a three pointer by Tara Steinbauer the Lady Badgers would take the lead from Duke at 10-9, but it would be all down hill from there. At least in the first half.

The Blue Devils would outscore the Badgers 18-8 for the remainder of the first half. Giving Duke a 27-18 lead heading into the break. A lead the Badgers would tap into in the second half from behind the arch.

Wisconsin came out of the gate fast in the second half hitting on two three pointers. Bringing the Badgers back to within three points. Then at the mid-way point Taylor Wurtz would connect for her third three pointer of the game to knot the score at 31. The closest the Badgers would get to the Blue Devils.

Duke was able to pull away in the second half, but not completely pull away. With just eight minutes left in the game Taylor Wurtz would again connect from downtown to bring the Badgers back to within three, but then the Lady Badgers would go cold again.

The Blue Devils would outscore the Lady Badgers in the remaining eight minutes by five to win 59-51. Resulting in a loss for the Big Ten and unlike the men a loss to the ACC in the challenge for 2010.