Wisconsin women's basketball coach Marisa Moseley and seniors Halle Douglass and Brooke Schramek talk following the Badgers' loss to Saint Louis in the Great 8 round of the WNIT on April 1 at the Kohl Center in Madison.
The Badgers also didn't lose more than four consecutive games — Wisconsin had slides of seven and four games last season — finishing the season at 15-17, their best record since 2018-19.
There’s no question Serah Williams has been the pillar to the Badgers' rebuild under Moseley the last two seasons.
The 6-foot-4 forward averaged a double-double as she led Wisconsin in scoring (17.4 points per game) and rebounding (10.4). A unanimous all-Big Ten first-team selection, the Badgers' first since Michala Johnson in 2014, Williams was selected the media’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was also a unanimous defensive team pick.
She also became the league’s all-time leader in consecutive double-doubles with 17 before her streak ended in the Badgers 86-61 win over Illinois State in the Super 16 round of the WNIT.
Williams, who left just 54 seconds into the Badgers’ season-ending loss with a right knee injury, finished in the top five in the league in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage (.519), as well as logging a league-best 2.8 blocks per game.
Williams wrote in a social media post Wednesday that she's "excited to return next year stronger than ever," while announcing she underwent surgery to repair her injured right meniscus.
That doesn't mean teams aren't still itching to lure the Brooklyn, New York, native away from Wisconsin. With more people watching the sport and with name, image and likeness money flying around, ensuring Williams’ return to Madison will be paramount to the Badgers’ continued rebuilding push.
Bolster frontcourt, shooting depth
Wisconsin didn’t add a single player from the transfer portal last season, instead filling its roster exclusively with freshmen with the additions of guards Leena Patibandla and D’Yanis Jimenez, as well as forwards Tessa Grady and Imbie Jones.
As much as one of the youngest teams in the country grew, the Badgers can’t rely on only incoming freshmen for success in today’s landscape. One way Moseley can do that is by hitting the transfer portal hard this offseason.
The Badgers desperately need to address the post. Besides Williams, Grady (1.2) was the only other frontcourt player to average more than a point per game while averaging 9.4 minutes in 25 games. Jones, Sacia Vanderpool and Tessa Towers were seldom used, with the latter two currently in the transfer portal. Ana Guillen joined Towers and Vanderpool on Wednesday after the Badgers' first Spanish-born player saw her minutes greatly diminish over the course of the season.
That frees up three spots for Wisconsin to aggressively fill with experienced post players. Finding a reliable threat to do damage inside will not only pull attention away from Williams and give her time to rest, but help the Badgers keep the foot on the gas with her off the court.
Wisconsin can't just rely on its existing backcourt, either. Starters Brooke Schramek (graduation) and Sania Copeland (transferred to Kansas) are both leaving. While sophomore Ronnie Porter, who started all 32 games this season and selected by the media as an honorable mention all-Big Ten pick, had a great breakout season and Jimenez made a strong first step in her debut year, the Badgers need depth, especially in a volume shooter.
The Badgers had the worst offense in the Big Ten averaging 62.7 points per game, down from 68.5 in 2022-23. Wisconsin was also lowest in field goal percentage (.403) and 3-point percentage (.283), while every other Big Ten team shot above 30% behind the arc.
Keep defensive momentum rolling
As much as its offense took a step back statistically this season, Wisconsin flipped the script on the defensive end of the court. After allowing 72.6 points per game in 2022-23, third worst in the Big Ten, the Badgers were eighth in points allowed this season with 67.9.
Opponents were also held to a second-best 40.3% from the field (780-for-1,936), up 10 spots from a year ago, as only Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan State allowed fewer made field goals. Williams' imposing presence inside, which led to a league-high 84 blocks, and Copeland's on-ball skills against opposing teams' top scorers played a major factor in that.
Copeland was regarded as the Badgers' top on-ball defender and her departure leaves a massive hole to address.
Incoming freshman guard Gracie Grzesk can help fill the void. The Green Bay Notre Dame grad was a defensive stalwart in the Tritons' run to three consecutive WIAA Division 2 state championships from 2021-23. The daughter of St. Norbert College men's basketball coach Gary Grzesk communicates defensive switches well and averaged 1.7 steals per game over her four-year career.
Class of 2024 commit Alie Bisballe, of Lake City, Michigan, will give some size and depth in the post. The 6-4 center averaged 4.1 blocks per game to go along with 11.7 points and 12.3 rebounds.
Photos: Wisconsin women's basketball vs. Saint Louis in the Great 8 at the WNIT
Wisconsin forward Serah Williams announced Wednesday that she's "excited to return" to the Badgers after undergoing surgery to repair her injured right knee.
Wisconsin Badgers forward Tessa Grady (12) shoots the ball against Saint Louis Billikens forward Peyton Kennedy (32) in the second half of the Great 8 game of the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Monday, April 1, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard D'Yanis Jimenez (23) fights for the ball against Saint Louis Billikens forward Peyton Kennedy (32) in the first half of the Great 8 game of the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Monday, April 1, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL