Michigan
Bowling Green
Michigan Downs Falcons for Seventh Straight Win
12/9/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site:Â Bowling Green, Ohio (Anderson Arena)
Score:Â Michigan 82, Bowling Green 71
Records:Â U-M (7-1), BGSU (4-4)
Next U-M Game:Â Saturday, Dec. 12 -- at Illinois State (Normal, Ill.), 2 p.m. CST
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team handed Bowling Green State University an 82-71 loss Wednesday (Dec. 9) in Anderson Arena in a mid-week contest between the Big Ten and Mid-American conferences. Though the win was not as impressive as some earlier victories this season, the Wolverines nonetheless claimed their seventh straight victory, tying a school record last set in 1989-90.
Junior captain Stacey Thomas (Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy) scored 18 points, reaching the 800-point milestone in the process. She was the only player in the game to record a double-double, grabbing a season-high 12 rebounds. The Falcons were paced by Jacki Raterman's 25 points and eight rebounds.
After Bowling Green took an early 6-4 lead on a Raterman layup, the Wolverines led through the majority of the first half. Michigan's lead extended into double figures on an Ann Lemire (Fairgrove, Mich./Frankenmuth HS) layup at 4:44. The half closed with U-M leading 40-30.
The Falcons scored the first four points of the second half to close within six (40-34), but a basket from Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS), a three-pointer from Anne Thorius (Horsholm, Denmark) and two more Ingram buckets quickly built Michigan's lead back to 15 (49-34).
Although the lead remained in Wolverine hands throughout the second half, Bowling Green cut a 15-point difference into nine with 3:52 left on the game clock. Michigan responded with free throws every time the Falcons threatened, getting three from Kenisha Walker (Grand Rapids, Mich./Creston HS), three from Lemire and one from Thorius. With 15 seconds on the clock, Sherry Kahle netted a triple, bringing Bowling Green within eight. Walker put in a layup as time expired, giving Michigan the nine-point victory.
Redshirt sophomore Alison Miller (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS), a starter in Michigan's last five games, scored a career-high 12 points in her first game against her former teammates. Miller transferred to Michigan from Bowling Green following her freshman season in 1996-97 and sat out the required one year in 1997-98.
The Wolverines are back in action on Saturday, Dec. 12, as they visit Illinois State of the Missouri Valley Conference for a 2 p.m. contest in Normal, Ill.
NOTES
• With 18 points against Bowling Green, Stacey Thomas pushed her career scoring tally to 813. That puts her in 16th place on Michigan's all-time list, 31 behind volunteer assistant coach Molly Murray (844).
• The 1998-99 Wolverines tied the 1989-90 and 1975-76 teams for the school record with seven consecutive victories. A win on Saturday at Illinois State would eclipse the school mark.
• Entering Wednesday's game, Michigan led the Big Ten Conference in free throw shooting with 76 percent accuracy (133-175), which ranked 13th nationally. Against the Falcons, the Wolverines shot 70.6 percent (12-17), after making just one trip to the line in the first half. Bowling Green shot 81.3 percent from the line (13-16).
• Michigan also led the Big Ten in scoring margin entering the game, outscoring its opponents by 23.2 points. That also ranked ninth nationally.
QUOTES
Michigan Coach Sue Guevara
"We knew we'd be in for a fight. They (Bowling Green) go to the boards, they're scrappy. We knew it would be tough for us. This is our third game in 7-8 days. We came out sluggish, missed some puppies, but we were able to regroup. The bench came through with (Ann) Lemire, (Kenisha) Walker. You have to give Bowling Green credit. They kept playing, they came after us, and we couldn't put them away. This was another step for us in our growing process."
U-M Sophomore Alison Miller
On returning to BGSU, where she played in 1996-97 ... "I saw my old teammates before the game and caught with them. I'm glad I'm at Michigan, I'm happy there. But it's not that I was unhappy here."
On the game ... "I went to the boards early and got some easy buckets. It got me going. Winning seven straight is a great accomplishment. It's something we can congratulate ourselves on. But before the Big Ten season starts, we have a lot to work on."
U-M Junior Captain Stacey Thomas
On scoring her 800th career point ... "It was actually a surprise to me. I'm excited, but I need to keep working. I just try to improve my game every day in different areas. The focus is winning, on executing plays and just to get the job done."
