When the University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team (4-12, 1-12 Big Ten) faced the then-No. 9 University of Maryland (13-2, 9-1) for the first time Jan. 17, the contest made it appear that maybe the Badgers could compete with the Big Ten’s best. Despite losing 79–70, Wisconsin consistently responded as Maryland tried to extend its lead, showing fight and determination that was absent when UW faced off against the conference’s other ranked teams.
When the two teams met for a rematch in College Park, one program demonstrated why they are perennially ranked in the AP Top 25 and why the other hasn’t been in the postseason for a decade.