Michigan
Vanderbilt
U-M Falls at No. 20 Vanderbilt in Season Opener
11/13/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site:Â Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gym)
Score:Â #20 Vanderbilt 57, Michigan 45
Records:Â U-M (0-1), Vanderbilt (1-0)
Next U-M Game:Â Wednesday, Nov. 18 -- vs. Detroit (Crisler Arena), 7:30 p.m.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team opened the season on Friday (Nov. 13) at No. 20 Vanderbilt, and the Commodores led from start to finish, claiming a 57-45 win before 4,215 fans. It marked the first time since 1992-93 that the Wolverines dropped their season opener.
Michigan freshman Alayne Ingram (Waverly, Mich./Waverly HS) led all scorers with 17 points, adding two of Michigan's eight steals in her collegiate debut. All-Big Ten Conference junior Stacey Thomas (Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, helping the Wolverines to win the battle of the boards 44-39.
Vanderbilt jumped out ot a 7-0 lead before Michigan called a 20-second timeout. Ingram opened the Wolverine scoring with a jumper at 18:08, but that would prove to be two of just 15 first half points for Michigan. Vanderbilt led 27-15 at halftime after outrebounding the Wolverines 27-14 and holding Michigan to just 17.2 percent (5-of-28) shooting from the floor.
In the second half, Vanderbilt extended its lead to as much as 16 points. Midway through the half, Michigan began to whittle away at the lead with Ingram scoring six of Michigan's eight points. At 6:29, redshirt sophomore transfer Alison Miller (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven) sank a jump shot to bring Michigan within eight (47-39). A jumper by Thomas at 2:26 brought it down to seven (50-43), but turnovers and fouls kept Vanderbilt out of reach. The Commodores sank four straight shots from the line in the closing 1:47 to seal the win.
Michigan opens its home schedule on Wednesday (Nov. 18) in Crisler Arena against the University of Detroit. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
QUOTES
Michigan Coach Sue Guevara
"Defensively, we weren't bad. To hold Vanderbilt to 57 points at home is not bad. If we had gotten some layups and open jumpers, we would have been in it. When you miss layups, you're not going to come back against a team like Vandy. We finally got within eight and I was just hoping we could get a three. We boarded better in the second half, but we just couldn't get our shots to fall. I have to give them (Michigan) credit though, they didn't quit."
On freshman Alayne Ingram ... "Alayne didn't play like a freshman tonight. She was not afraid to shoot the ball. Three of her 21 shots I'd question as far as shot selection, but she was aggressive and did a good job on Ashley Smith, one of the top sophomores in the country."
On the referees cracking down on handchecks this year ... "I was interested to see how they would call it down in SEC country. Right away (Ashley) Smith got her first foul and I thought, 'They're going to call it tight.' As long as you know it will be that way, you have to adjust."
NOTES
• The last time Michigan lost its season opener was in 1992-93, when the Wolverines fell to Toledo 90-67 at home.
• Michigan started three freshmen against Vanderbilt: Alayne Ingram, Ruth Kipping (Quincy, Ill./Quincy HS) and Raina Goodlow (Detroit, Mich./Dominican HS).
• Several Wolverines scored the first points of their careers in the Maize and Blue: freshman Alayne Ingram (17), freshman Ruth Kipping (2), freshman Raina Goodlow (2), freshman Heather Oesterle (3) and redshirt sophomore Alison Miller (9).
• Michigan was playing without two of its returners Friday night: Kenisha Walker and Ann Lemire.
