Teagan Mallegni’s go-ahead 3-pointer from near the logo, with 28 seconds left on the clock, sealed a thrilling 71-65 season-opening victory for the Wisconsin Badgers over Bradley last night at the Kohl Center. It was a wild one, a comeback for the ages in the first game of the year.
From Cold Snap to Clutch Shot: Mallegni’s Second-Half Surge
What a rollercoaster for the McFarland native, Mallegni, who transferred to Wisconsin from Iowa this offseason. She started the game colder than a November morning, missing her first *nine* shots. Can you believe that? But here’s the thing about true players: they find a way. Mallegni didn’t let the early misses define her. She dug in on defense and owned the boards, jump-starting her game from the grit up. And when she finally found her rhythm, oh man, did she find it. All 17 of her career-high points came in the second half, finishing 7-for-19 from the field. That’s a 6-foot-1 junior showing you exactly how to turn it around when the pressure is on.
Badgers Blew a Lead, But Team Grit Prevailed
This wasn’t just a Mallegni show, though her late heroics absolutely saved the day. The Badgers were up by a solid 13 points to kick off the final quarter, and then… poof! That lead started to disappear. It took Mallegni’s clutch bomb to wrestle back control and finally put Bradley away. We also gotta shout out freshman forward Adaline Sheplee, who was huge with 16 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including eight crucial points in the fourth quarter. Sophomore guard Addie Deal also stepped up early, dropping 15 points, ten of which came in the first half. It was a true team fight, capped by an absolutely iconic moment that fans will be talking about for a while.
What a way to open the season for Wisconsin! This kind of fight and late-game magic sets the tone. You can bet fans are already buzzing about what this squad can do next after a comeback win like that.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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