Wisconsin
How the Wisconsin women’s basketball team dug deep for a win over Georgetown
Wisconsin women’s basketball has seven turnovers in season-opening win
Badgers women’s basketball coach Marisa Moseley reflected on the team’s 95-68 victory over Wright State in the season opener Tuesday at the Kohl Center.
MADISON – Ronnie Porter, fresh off a career scoring high and the elation of a hard-earned win, was asked to explain what got into the Wisconsin women’s basketball team Sunday afternoon.
The Badgers junior point guard skipped the Xs and Os and went straight to the heart.
“We wanted it,” she said. “At the end of the day we came into this game wanting to leave with a W and that is what we did. Prior to the game Coach Mo (Marisa Moseley) talked about us sticking together from the first quarter to the fourth quarter and that is exactly what we did.”
Wisconsin improved to 2-0 with a 79-61 victory over Georgetown in front of 3,452 at the Kohl Center, a win that was much tougher than the score indicates.
The Badgers, however, were so good during the final 1½ quarters that the outcome wasn’t in doubt for the final 3½ minutes. They wrapped up the day with a gritty 34-13 run filled with tough buckets inside, and-1 opportunities and 14 points from Porter.
It was as if the Badgers flipped the switch and, voila, led by 20 points.
“This was a good win. I’ve been her for three years and this was one of the most fun games I’ve played at the Kohl Center,” junior forward Serah Williams said. “I think we just stayed together, moved the ball pretty well. Everybody had a hand in what we did today.”
Porter finished with 26 points, which raised her career high by seven, and posted four rebounds, four assists and three steals. She hit 12 of 20 shots, including 2 for 6 from three-point range. She had 16 points on 8-for-12 shooting in the second half, 14 during the final 14 minutes.
The effort came on the heels of a 19-point performance in the season opener versus Wright State Tuesday that tied her career high.
It wasn’t an A-plus effort, but close.
“A-minus,” Porter said when asked to grade her play.. “I had too many turnovers. I don’t like that.”
Serah Williams, Carter McCray give UW a double double-double
Williams (17 points, 12 rebounds) and sophomore transfer Carter McCray (11 points, 11 rebounds) recorded double-doubles. They two almost matched Georgetown’s work on the boards (33) and combined for 12 offensive rebounds.
McCray, who grabbed 150 offensive rebounds while playing for Northern Kentucky last season, had seven Sunday.
“I think we both took it personal,” Wlliams said. “We noticed they were being really physical to start the game and we really adjusted well to that and we used our strength and our love for it against them and it worked out in our favor.”
Graduate guard Tess Myers posted 14 points and was 4 for 9 from three-point range. Halle Douglass, another grad student, scored just two points, but her defense helped contain Hoyas standout Kelsey Ransom (27 points) in the second half.
It was a quality effort against a solid Hoyas squad that qualified for the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament last year. They were picked to finish fifth in the Big East this season and against UW set the tone for a good portion of the night even though their largest lead was five points.
Ronnie Porter scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter
Sunday the Hoyas started fast, hitting 53.8% of their shots (seven of 13) in the first quarter but their shooting percentage dipped each quarter and in the fourth quarter they managed just 11 points.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, shot better and increased its scoring each quarter. They shot 50% (32 of 64) for the day and 42.1% (8 for 19) from three-point range.
“How we practice we talk about we cannot take breaks, we’ve got to continue to practice at a high clip because in the fourth quarter that is when you’ve got to be able to finish things,” Moseley said.
“Using a boxing metaphor, I saw them on the ropes. They were tired and I’m like right now we’ve got to go. The fact that we have the depth that we have this year and that we can continue to rotate players in and they can make plays in different ways, I think that really helped us to open it up.”
McCray jump started the run with seven straight points. Two of the buckets came off offensive rebounds, including a bucket and foul she converted for a three-point play with 45 seconds left in the third to give the Badgers a 52-50 edge.
Porter followed with jumper at the third quarter buzzer to push the lead to four points. The hustle points continued early in the fourth when Williams put back McCray’s miss and when Porter stole the ball from Ransom underneath the UW hoop and scored a layup to give the Badgers a 58-53 advantage with 8:03 to play.
Porter’s bucket was the start of an individual run of 10 straight points. When she was done the Badgers lead was still only eight points, 64-56, with 5:20 to play.
Three-pointers by Myers (two) and senior Natalie Leuzinger helped the Badgers push their advantage to 20 points, closing out a satisfying first week of the season.
“It’s a testament to all the work we’ve done in the preseason,” Myers said. “We’re very connected and the way we play attested to that. This is really exciting for us going forward to know that if we’re down it doesn’t matter. We were very together and came out with a win.”
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Dec. 24, 2024
Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 24, 2024, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
11-14-38-45-46, Mega Ball: 03, Megaplier: 3
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 7-9-6
Evening: 2-0-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 9-8-7-5
Evening: 6-3-7-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 03-04-06-07-09-10-14-16-17-18-19
Evening: 02-05-07-08-12-13-17-18-19-20-21
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
05-19-22-23-24
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
02-03-06-30-31-34, Doubler: N
Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
- Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
- Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin RB enters transfer portal. NCAA waiver gives senior another year of eligibility
An aerial view of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
An aerial view of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., home of the Wisconsin Badgers.
MADISON – A recent court ruling has opened the door for former junior college players to gain another year of NCAA eligibility.
It appears that Tawee Walker is going to take advantage of the opportunity.
According to On3, Wisconsin’s senior running back will enter the transfer portal in search of a home for next season. The news came one day after the NCAA approved a blanket waiver granting one more year of eligibility to athletes who competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years and would have otherwise exhausted their eligibility during the 2024-25 school year.
Walker fits the bill. He played the the 2021 season at Palomar College. a junior college in San Marcos, California, before competing for Oklahoma in 2022 and ’23 and Wisconsin this season. The NCAA counts his junior college season towards his four years of college eligibility.
The waiver stems from a case brought forward by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. A Tennessee court ruled that counting the two seasons he played at a junior college toward his NCAA eligibility violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Walker, a 5-foot-9, 218-pound Las Vegas native, led the Badgers with 864 yards in 190 carries, a 4.5-yard average, and scored 10 touchdowns.
He begin the season sharing the No. 1 tailback role with Chez Mellusi and blossomed after Mellusi took what proved to be a permanent leave Oct. 3.
As Wisconsin’s primary ball carrier Walker ran for 718 yards in 152 carries, a 4.7-yard average, with nine touchdowns.
His best stretch was a three-game run against Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern when he gained 418 yards in 66 carries, a 6.3-yard average, and scored six times.
Wisconsin
2024 Wisconsin Badgers Positional Review: Safeties
2024 Wisconsin Badgers Positional Review: Safeties
Wisconsin football saw its season end without bowl practices for the first time since 2001. The Badgers hit a new low this century in year two of the Luke Fickell era, and will face a critical get-right year in 2025.
Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will examine the 2024 Badgers position by position. Today, we’ll wrap up the series with the safeties, a unit that helped anchor a strong defensive backfield in 2024.
POSITIONAL REVIEWS: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Offensive Line | Defensive Line | Outside Linebackers | Inside Linebackers | Cornerbacks
2024 HIGH: Preston Zachman’s continued development
Redshirt senior Preston Zachman continued his development into a highly reliable safety in 2024, and even better news? He’s coming back next fall.
Zachman became somewhat of a surprise starter alongside Hunter Wohler last season, but he played well in the process, displaying his football IQ and a knack for being in the right place in the right time. He continued to take steps in a positive direction this season, posting a career-best stat-line of 58 total tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups.
The safety has a penchant for making routine plays routinely. He missed just six tackles on 753 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He also surrendered just one touchdown across 366 coverage snaps. But Zachman can also make the big play. His most impressive rep of the season was likely his interception in Los Angeles, pictured above. In coverage against dynamic slot weapon Zachariah Branch, a matchup most would deem a mismatch, he blanketed the receiver, bodied him at the catch point, reeled in the interception and talked smack in the star pass-catcher’s face after the whistle.
The ball skills he displayed were impressive, but it was also a clinic in technique and positioning. Zachman is one of the most fundamentally sound players on Mike Tressel‘s defense, and his return for 2025 is massive for a secondary that figures to be relatively inexperienced and also just lost its best player in Wohler.
2024 LOW: Hunter Wohler vs. USC
Interestingly enough, one of Zachman’s best games (USC) was also one of Wohler’s worst. He gave up two touchdowns in the second half alone, helping the Trojans complete the comeback victory.
With time dwindling in the third quarter, USC faced a 3rd-and-7 from the Badgers eight yard-line. Wisconsin sent six pass-rushers after Trojans’ quarterback Miller Moss, leaving five one-on-ones in coverage against a five wide look. That included Wohler on the 6-foot-6 wideout Duce Robinson.
Robinson ran a skinny post and simply boxed Wohler out to reel in a touchdown, looking like a forward pulling down a rebound over a guard. It’s hard to blame Wohler for giving up four inches of height to the physical specimen of a wideout, but still, the safety was directly responsible for that touchdown.
Wohler gave up a touchdown on the very next drive as well. The Trojans marched down the field in nine plays but were faced with a 4th-and-1 on the Badgers’ seven yard line. Moss ran a read option, and kept the ball with outside linebacker Aaron Witt crashing off the strong side. Wohler read the play well, and came face-to-face with Moss in the open field. If he made the tackle, it would’ve been a turnover on downs. Instead, Moss hit him with a filthy spin move, breaking the safety’s ankles and scoring a touchdown. Another straight-up mano a mano that Wohler lost resulting in a touchdown, on consecutive drives no less.
ONE STORYLINE TO FOLLOW BEFORE THE 2025 SEASON: Which transfer nabs a starting role?
With the return of Zachman and Austin Brown, Wisconsin is in a solid spot at safety. The Badgers have two experienced starters, in addition to a plethora of young players including four true freshmen. Zachman and Brown both figure to be starters given their experience and solid play in 2024. But if we’ve learned anything about Tressel’s defense over the course of two seasons, it’s that he deploys three safeties frequently. Especially given the fact that Wisconsin figures to be inexperienced at cornerback with just four corners currently on the roster, safeties can be expected to play plenty of snaps.
The Badgers have signed two transfers at safety at the time of writing: Matthew Traynor (FCS Richmond) and Matt Jung (D-III Bethel). Traynor is a versatile safety who can line up anywhere, while Jung absolutely stuffed the stat-sheet at the D-III level. Both figure to get plenty of run behind Zachman and Brown. But which player looks more dynamic? Who appears to be adjusting to Big Ten competition better? Where in the alignment does either player line up? These will be critical questions to answer this spring and into fall camp.
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