Roll over is not a trick the Huskies have ever been good at. Unfortunately for the women’s basketball team, it is a trick they can do.

The UW (0-1) did its best ‘confused puppy’ impression, losing 78-61 to the Marquette Golden Eagles Tuesday in Milwaukee.

First the Huskies appeared to obey the Eagles (1-0), falling behind 40-29 at halftime, then they decided not to listen, climbing back to take a 47-46 lead nearly halfway through the second period and finally they gave in, all but lying down as Marquette closed the game on a 31-15 run.

“We were in a fog the whole night,” said senior Jill Bell. “We were sluggish.”

More was less for Washington as they attempted 17 more shots than Marquette but could only convert on 22-of-73 shots to shoot 30 percent in the game.

“It’s tough,” said coach June Daugherty. “Marquette played 40 minutes and we didn’t come out of the starting blocks at all and that’s disappointing. The execution wasn’t there and we need to improve right away.”

Coming in, Marquette appeared to be a powerful inside team, but it was the Golden Eagle’s point guard that did the most damage to the Dawgs.

Sophomore Krystal Ellis led the Eagles with a game-high 24 points while also adding six assists and three steals.

Highly-touted senior Christina Quaye had a quiet night with just seven points.

Marquette held a 21-19 lead midway through the first half after a flurry of three-pointers from both teams. The Huskies could not keep up the pace. Three straight UW turnovers gave them nine in the half, and allowed the Golden Eagles to take a 27-19 lead that they would increase to 11 points by the break.

Junior Emily Florence and freshman Sami Whitcomb provided the shot in the arm Washington needed in the second half. Florence got an offensive rebound and found Whitcomb in the corner for her first regular season three-pointer as a Husky.

Florence caused a Marquette turnover with a five-count on the ensuing possession, and Whitcomb turned the play into three more points with another long shot. The Huskies used the fuel to get back into the game.

Washington clawed its way into the lead for the first time since early in the first half amid a bunch of fouls from both teams. Bell and senior Cameo Hicks made two baskets each over the next few minutes, then Bell sank two free throws as the Huskies took a 47-46 lead.

“It’s great to see us come back but we should never be in that situation,” Daugherty said. “We need to take a hard look at it.”

Minutes later both teams were in the bonus and a dogfight.

Marquette took back the lead before Bell got a put in off an offensive board to put the UW up 52-51. It would be the last lead Washington would hold.

“We got a little comfortable and stopped attacking and being aggressive, and they went on a run from there,” Bell said.

Bell scored 10 points for the Huskies and added eight rebounds, six of which were on the offensive end.

Hicks had an MRI on her twisted knee Monday in Seattle, so she traveled Tuesday but still started. She played 28 minutes and led the team with 12 points.

“I didn’t think that anybody had a good game on the Husky bench tonight,” Daugherty said. “We work very hard in practice on the defensive end of the basketball. I don’t know if it was first-night jitters, but we need to play at a much better rate.”

Reporter Sam Cameron: samcameron@thedaily.washington.edu