The University of Wisconsin enter the 2005-2006 Big Ten season with an overall record of 5-6, beating Houston, Cleveland State University, Idaho State, Hawaii and UW-Milwaukee — with those first four coming in a row to begin the season. The Badgers have also dropped contests to DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, South Dakota State, Kansas and Western Illinois — with those first five coming in a row. Those six teams have a total of five losses. The Badgers post a 2-1 record for road games, a 2-4 record for home games, and a 1-1 record at neutral courts.

Head Coach Lisa Stone enters her third year at the Badgers program with an overall record of 22-33. However, those are the only losing years in her 20-year career (397-151 overall). Stone, a former Iowa Hawkeye player, began her career as the youngest four-year college coach when she took the helm at Cornell College at age 23 in 1985. Most notably, she led Drake University to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2002.

Two players enter the game sporting double-figure scoring averages: sophomore guards Jolene Anderson (17.0) and Janese Banks (15.1). They also rank 1-2 in assists (Banks 51, Anderson 35), steals (Banks 27, Anderson 20) and minutes per game (Banks 34.5, Anderson 33.3). Anderson is the team’s leading rebounding (7.5 per game) while Banks comes in third (5.8). Additionally, Anderson is the best free throw shooter on the squad (72.7%) while Banks ranks third (69.3%) and gets to the line almost seven times per contest.

Sophomore forward Danielle Ward has started only two contests for the team and averages less than 17 minutes per game, but ranks third in scoring (9.7) and steals (11), and fourth in rebounding (5.0). She tops the Badgers in blocks (15) and field goal percentage (50.0%).

Of Wisconsin’s 12-player roster, four are seniors, five as sophomores and three are freshmen. Seven players have appeared in all 11 games, two have seen action in 10, and one in nine. All of those players average at least 11.5 minutes per game. After the top three scorers, however, only one other player averages more than 6.5 points per game: senior guard Ashley Josephson.

Two players (Ward and Caitlin Gibson) are 6’4”. Three others (Annie Nelson, Christine Spencer and Jordan Wilson) are 6’1”. Anderson is the shortest Badger at 5’8”.

The Badgers shoot a collective 41.5% from the field (allowing their opponents only a 41.1% success rate) and 31.7% from 3-point range (with opponents converting at 34.8%). The squad also makes 64.9% of its free throws and outrebounds opponents at a rate of 42.9 to 36.4. Although Anderson, Banks and Josephson sport assist to turnover ratios of better than 1:1, Wisconsin has an overall ratio of 175:196. They force their opponents into around 18 turnovers per game.

Interesting factoids:

Only six players have attempted a 3-pointer in 2005-2006: Anderson (54), Banks (23), Josephson (45), Akiya Alexander (12), Shari Welton (1) and Christine Spencer (4).

Badger players have fouled out of six contests this season: Banks (three times) Ward (twice) and Caitlin Gibson (once). The Badgers average almost 16 fouls per game, with Banks (almost four) and Ward (more than three) leading the way.

Jordan Wilson is the only Badger besides Ward to shoot 45.0% or better from the floor (on 40 attempts). Annie Nelson is the only Badger besides Anderson to shoot better than 70% from the free throw line (on 14 attempts).

Nelson ranks second on the squad in rebounding with 7.3 per outing in less than 26 minutes per game. She averaged 6.8 per game as a junior. Prior to that year, she had appeared in only 20 games: nine as a freshman and 11 as a sophomore.