Wisconsin knocked off Oregon in a game in which the Ducks were double-digit favorites over the Badgers. Robin Pingeton has really put her stamp on the Wisconsin women's basketball program, taking it to places it hasn't been in years. Wisconsin won 4 Big Ten games last season, and now, in Pingeton's first season, they've already equaled that mark with two of those conference wins against top 25 NET teams.
Oregon had the game in hand, but Wisconsin found a way to send it to overtime, then to double overtime, and then ultimately, Destiny Howell took a final shot with only three seconds left. She was fouled. She made both free throws to give Wisconsin the lead, and Oregon missed a buzzer-beater, which shocked Oregon and the women's basketball world.
Now, Wisconsin has a shot at a tournament bid in its first season. While the resume isn't quite there yet, and there are a few knocks to Wisconsin's bid, there are now two quad-1 wins. Something the men's program doesn't even have yet.
Robin Pingeton has really propelled the Wisconsin women's basketball program in her first year
Michigan State, which the Badgers won earlier this season, is ranked 7 in the NET, and Oregon was ranked 22 going into this game against the Badgers. The next three games may end up telling the story for the hopes of a postseason invite, as Wisconsin takes on Nebraska (NET 18), Minnesota (NET 15), and finally Ohio State (NET 20).
Wisconsin won't need to win them all, but a win or two in there, and all of a sudden, the resume will be hard to overlook for the Badgers.
Whether an NCAA Tournament bid happens this year or not, it's very clear that Robin Pingeton has pulled Wisconsin out of the muck in her first season. With a good recruiting class coming in next year, Pingeton seems to be the perfect hire to fix the women's basketball program at Wisconsin.