SCORE: Wisconsin 69, UAlbany 59
 
LOCATION: Kohl Center - Madison, Wis.
 
RECORDS: UAlbany 10-2, 0-0 America East | Wisconsin 10-2, 1-0 Big Ten
 
SHORT STORY: The Great Danes and the Badgers played a close contest until a late-game scoring run from Wisconsin sealed the win for the host, Friday afternoon.
 
COACH COLLEEN MULLEN: "I am extremely proud of our team's effort and determination today. The final score isn't indicative of the back-and-forth battle we had all game. We competed and fought with Wisconsin's outstanding front line and talented rebounders. We missed a few shots down the stretch that we hit earlier in the game. If those shots had gone down, it may have been a different outcome."
 
KEY STATS

• Graduate students Kaci Donovan (14), Lilly Phillips (13), and Kayla Cooper (12) each led the team with double-digit points.
• Cooper also earned a team-high five steals and eight rebounds.
• Freshman Delanie Hill led with four assists.
• Donovan tabbed her 100th career assist in the first quarter.
• Until the final 3:14 of the contest, the largest lead was five points. It only occurred four times throughout the first 36 minutes and neither lead lasted more than 30 seconds.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Wisconsin started the game hot with five consecutive points.
• After trading points for a couple of minutes, the Great Danes earned the lead after a three-pointer from Lilly Phillips, 11-9, at 5:30. A second three from Phillips extended the lead to five.
• The Badgers gradually made their way back to earn a 20-16 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
• UAlbany tied the score at 22 three and a half minutes into the second quarter. 
• Going back-and-forth throughout the remainder of the half, the largest lead was a 29-24 advantage for the Great Danes.
• Wisconsin entered halftime with a slim one-point lead, 32-31.
• The two teams continued to trade points throughout the entire third quarter.
• UAlbany held the advantage in the third, 16-12, to start the fourth quarter with a three-point lead, 47-44.
• The Badgers scored twice in a row to take a 49-47 lead.
• Kaci Donovan and Kayla Cooper added field goals while trading scoring opportunities with Wisconsin.
• With 4:37 on the clock, the Badgers began what proved to be an 11-point scoring run to earn a lead they would not relinquish.
• Delanie Hill and senior Laycee Drake each scored three-pointers in the final 64 seconds but it was not enough as Wisconsin ended the game with a second-chance layup and won, 69-59.

 
NEXT: The Great Danes are set to play one final non-conference game (LSU - 12/29) before opening league action at home against Vermont on January 2.
 
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