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[ Friday, Feb. 5, 1999 ]
Lady cagers on the road against Badgers, Wildcats in Big Ten rematch
By DAN GIGLER
Collegian Staff Writer
For every yin, there's a yang. For every up, there's a down. And in sports, for every team that gets sandbagged, there's a chance for that team to take revenge -- especially if the game is played on its home court. Last week, the No. 18 Penn State women's basketball team kicked in the collective ears of Wisconsin and Northwestern by scores of 91-61 and 93-60, respectively, when those teams visited The Bryce Jordan Center. Now the Lady Lions (16-5, 8-3 Big Ten), in the thick of a postseason chase, head to the home courts of the teams they recently embarrassed with the sting of crushing defeats still fresh in their minds. At 7:30 p.m. today Penn State will tip off against Wisconsin (10-11, 5-6) at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., before heading to suburban Chicago for a 2 p.m. Sunday matchup with Northwestern (9-11, 3-7). In the first meeting between the Lions and Badgers, Wisconsin actually held a 32-31 lead at the half before Penn State exploded offensively and asphyxiated the Badgers' offense with its potent press defense.
PHOTO: Jim Rajotte
Penn State’s Andrea Garner (40) and Lisa Shepherd battle for a rebound against Northwestern’s Leslie Schock at The Bryce Jordan Center earlier this season.
Despite the lopsided outcome, Wisconsin has seen consistent solid play from its frontcourt, notably LaTonya Sims and Jessie Stomski. The Badgers rebounded from the drubbing they received at the hands of the Lions by surprising Michigan with a 70-46 upset last Sunday.
"Their personnel is very, very good, they're a very strong team," Penn State coach Rene Portland said of the Badgers.
Portland added that the extremely loyal fans of Wisconsin women's basketball and the opportunity for some home-court payback could spark the play of the Badgers.
"They don't lose many Big Ten games in their facility," Portland said. "They'll have a lot of confidence up there with 15,000 fans and a revenge factor if they choose to use it."
Northwestern, which will host the Penn State Sunday, has had a tumultuous season with the loss of star player Kristina Divjak and the announcement that endeared head coach Don Perrelli will step down at season's end.
Such situations call for leaders to step up, and the Wildcats have found one in senior guard Megan Chawansky. She was perhaps the only bright spot in Northwestern's dismal tangle with the Lions, as she was one of only five Wildcats to actually score, leading her squad with 24 points and five 3-pointers.
Chawansky downplayed the turbulence surrounding the Wildcats' season but quickly acknowledged her position as a senior on a struggling team.
"My role is to be a stable force now," she said.
Heading into the waning days of her basketball career, Chawansky wants no regrets when she hangs up her sneakers.
"I want to leave it all on the floor," she said. "I can rest in the spring, I can rest the rest of my life."
And, a victory over Penn State would be a nice retirement present.
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