EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The Universities of Wisconsin Madison women’s basketball team went on a 24-point swing, overcoming a 19-point deficit to defeat Southern Indiana 67-62 in the second round of the NIT on Monday, March 25.
The Screaming Eagles came out strong and built up a 12-point lead with just over a minute left in the first quarter with a 3-pointer from Meredith Raley. Madison and Southern Indiana exchanged a pair of free throws, as the Screaming Eagles took a 24-12 lead into the second quarter. By the end of the first half, Southern Indiana led 44-25.
Black Hawk graduate Natalie Leuzinger opened the third quarter with a pair of free throws, starting a 6-point run. In that time, the Badgers held the Screaming Eagles scoreless for five minutes. The remainder of the quarter, the two teams exchanged buckets. Madison won the third quarter, outscoring Southern Indiana 17-11 — just a glimpse of what was to come.
All Big-Ten player Serah Williams scored back-to-back points in the fourth quarter, cutting the Screaming Eagle lead to single digits. With 5:33 left in the game, Sania Copeland put Madison within one possession on a bucket from beyond the arc. Williams knotted the game at 57 with a pair of free throws, and Ronnie Porter gave the Badgers their first lead with a jumper.
Although Madison took a 63-57 lead with just under three minutes left, Southern Indiana stormed back. Three free throws and a jumper got the Screaming Eagles back within a possession, but Leuzinger’s fastbreak bucket with 36 seconds left killed their momentum. Porter then sealed the deal with a pair of free throws.
Williams led Madison with 24 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Porter and Copeland also finished in double figures with 19 and 12 points, respectively. Leuzinger tallied seven points with two rebounds and three assists.
The win marks the first postseason tournament victory for Madison since 2011 — the Badgers’ last NIT appearance. The team hosted Illinois State in the Super Sixteen on Thursday, March 28. Results and photos from the game will be in the Wednesday, April 3 edition of the Monroe Times.
