Charlie Healy

Depending on your sport of preference, it was either a good week or a bad week. If you root equally for any Badger sport, well, it’s hard to tell how you feel. The Wisconsin Men’s Basketball team is back on track while the Women scratch out a win to stop a losing streak. Men’s Hockey sweeps the Gophers while the women salvage 2 points. Plus, Wrestling and Softball have weekends they’d like to forget.

Men’s Basketball

After a six game losing streak, the Badgers rebounded and beat Illinois and Penn State. The familiar sights of a win returned Thursday night at home against Illinois in a convincing 63-50 victory. Whatever the Badgers did to change things up worked, and Bo Ryan gave credit to the increased hustle his players showed throughout the entire game. “The fans here and the people here are very very appreciative and I think you can tell that of hustle opportunities, it’s just the Wisconsin way.” The hustle and home crowd was the medicine the Badgers needed as they went on the road Sunday and started a winning streak by beating Penn State 54-44. The Badgers stretched that streak to three games when they beat Iowa Wednesday night at the Kohl Center.

Women’s Basketball

The women were on a five game losing streak before scratching out a hard fought win over Penn State on Thursday. Last week, Head Coach Lisa Stone dismissed junior Mariah Dunham for violating team rules. The team has since moved on, losing at Purdue and beating Penn State at home. After the win, snapping a season-high five game losing streak, Stone commented on the importance of the victory. “It was a well-needed win by a well-deserving team. Just a tremendous team effort, great balanced scoring, locked-in defense for the entire 40 minutes, rebounded the basketball in traffic – showed some toughness and some grit – and held on.”

Men’s Hockey

Behind a strong performance by Shane Connelly on Friday night and a tough battle on Saturday, Wisconsin swept Minnesota. The Badgers were outplayed on Friday, being outshot 45-23, but Connelly was solid in goal, not allowing the puck to pass until shortly into the 3rd period. Saturday was a more even-fought game, with Wisconsin coming away with a win, 5-4. John Mitchell recorded two goals while Jamie McBain had a goal and two assists. Connelly had 33 saves. With the wins, Wisconsin moves into a tie with Denver for first place in the WCHA. This weekend the Badgers are off before hosting Denver next weekend.

Women’s Hockey

The women had a tougher weekend in Minneapolis. Coming into the game tied with Minnesota for first place in the WCHA, Wisconsin lost the first game and won the second in a shootout. With both teams both with 40 points in the standings, Minnesota won the first game 4-2. In the series finale, the score was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation, and again at the end of overtime. Both teams received a point, and Wisconsin earned another with the win in the shootout. At the end of the weekend, Minnesota had 43 points, while Wisconsin had 41. Wisconsin plays Minnesota State this weekend before hosting Bemidji State next weekend.