(UW ATHLETICS) MADISON – Thanks to 13 points from redshirt junior Breauna Ware, the Wisconsin women’s basketball (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) team defeated Milwaukee (1-2, 0-0 Horizon) 75-46 Monday at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers improve to 2-1 on the season, and are unbeaten in their first two games at the Kohl Center for the fourth consecutive season.
Ware finished 4-of-7 from the field, nailing two threes in the process. Destiny Howell was second on the team with 9 points, notching her 1,500 career-point midway through the second quarter. The New York City native is up to 16.3 points per game this season, while her 49 total points is the most for any Badger transfer in their first three games.
Sophomore Jovana Spasovski dropped a career-high 9 points, alongside Ronnie Porter and Gift Uchenna.
The Badgers’ defense was stifling Monday, holding Milwaukee to 30-percent shooting (16-54) and forcing a season-high 25 turnovers. Their physicality translated on offense, outsourcing the Panthers 46-26 in the paint.
How it happened
Wisconsin raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, capped off by Ware’s first three-pointer of the season – forcing a Panther timeout. She kept the momentum rolling with a transition three that pushed the lead to double digits, while Uchenna and Dorja Zaja got going on the inside. Wisconsin shot 50-percent in the opening quarter, burying four threes and forcing seven Milwaukee turnovers to take a 20–10 lead after one
Bucky ballooned the advantage to 14 points in the second quarter, thanks to a bench contribution from Spasovski, who gave Wisconsin a lift with five first-half points. Meanwhile, Howell continued to pace the offense, finishing the half with a team-high nine points on 4-for-6 shooting.
The Badgers’ interior presence was dominant throughout the half, outscoring the Panthers 16-0 inside the paint. Uchenna was key with 7 first-half points on 2-of-3 shooting. The Badgers took a 34-20 lead into the break, holding Milwaukee to just 7-of-24 shooting and forcing 14 turnovers.
Wisconsin kept their foot on the gas in the third as Breaunu Ware dropped 7 points in the period. The Stony Brook transfer converted on 2-of-3 field goals, while nailing a three-ball and two free throws. The Badges held a 52-36 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Badgers widened the gap in the fourth quarter, outsourcing Milwaukee 23-10. Spasovski had 6 points in the period, while Porter added 5. Sophomore Reeese Jaramillo checked in off the bench and notched her first career points off a baseline layup.
Up Next: The Badgers head into game two of their three-game home stand, hosting Bowling Green on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Tip-off at the Kohl Center is set for 6:30 p.m.
Colyer wins volleyball award: For the third time this season, Wisconsin volleyball’s Mimi Colyer has been named Big Ten Player of the Week, announced by the conference Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-3 outside hitter put together another impressive week helping in key wins over No. 20 Minnesota and No. 18 Indiana. Colyer totaled 35 kills over seven sets for an average of 5.00 kills per set and 5.93 points per set. Colyer tallied 21 kills alone against the Gophers for her sixth match of the season with 20 or more kills in a match. Then against the Hoosiers, the California native recorded her sixth double-double, 42nd of her career, with a 14 kill, 10 dig performance.
In all, Colyer combined for a .359 hitting percentage, while hitting .406 against IU, committing just one error. Defensively, the outside hitter chipped in with 2.00 digs per set and 0.86 blocks per set.
The Badgers look to extend it’s three-match winning streak as they hit road for matches against Michigan State and Illinois this weekend.
Badgers’ Catalon Posa honored: The Wisconsin Badger freshman linebacker duo of Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa reeled in a pair of Big Ten weekly awards, as announced by the conference on Monday. Catalano was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Posa was tabbed as the conference’s Co-Freshman of the Week after a 13-10 win over No. 23 Washington on Saturday.
Catalano finished the game with 19 tackles, two TFLs and a sack, posting the most tackles for a Power 4 freshman since 2017 and the most for any Badger since Mike Taylor registered 22 in 2011. Catalano became the first Big Ten player to have 19 tackles and a sack in a game since 2018.
Catalano is the first Badger to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors since Hunter Wohler in 2023. He’s the first Wisconsin freshman to earn the conference’s defensive honor since Chris Borland in 2009.
Posa flourished alongside Catalano on Saturday, posting 11 tackles, 2.5 sacks and both a forced and recovered fumble. The fumble recovery was a turning point in the game, setting the Badgers offense up for an easy score in a game where offense came at a premium. On Washington’s final offensive play, Posa sealed the Badgers’ win with a fourth-down sack.
Posa became the first FBS player this season to have 10+ tackles, 2.0+ sacks, a FF and FR in a game. He’s the first Power 4 player to do so since 2020. He becomes the first Badger to win the freshman award since wide receiver Trech Kekahuna in 2024.
With Catalano and Posa both earning accolades, it marks the first time multiple defensive players from the same team have earned Big Ten weekly honors in the same week since 2020 (Northwestern).
The Badgers head to Bloomington, Indiana on Saturday to take on the No.2 Indiana Hoosiers. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.
Women’s soccer advances to NCAA tournament: The Wisconsin women’s soccer team (13-5-2) has earned a 4-seed and will face the Western Michigan Broncos (16-3-1) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Badgers last met the Broncos in the 2024 season and tied 1-1 at home. This is Wisconsin’s third straight tournament appearance, and 26th overall.
The game is set for Friday, Nov. 14 at 7:00 p.m. (CT). Tickets will go on sale Nov. 11 at 9 a.m.
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