Michigan
Northwestern
Thomas Does It All in 64-54 Win at Northwestern
1/24/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site:Â Evanston, Ill. (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Score:Â Michigan 64, Northwestern 54
Records:Â U-M (12-6, 4-4 Big Ten), Northwestern (8-10, 2-6 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game:Â Friday, Jan. 29 -- vs. Ohio State (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Led by Stacey Thomas' (Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy) tremendous all-around performance, the University of Michigan women's basketball team collected its third win in five days by downing Northwestern University 64-54 on Sunday (Jan. 24) in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wolverines evened their Big Ten Conference record at 4-4 and improved to 12-6 overall, while Northwestern dropped to 8-10 and 2-6.
Thomas, a junior forward, scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season and fifth in eight games. She added six assists, six steals and a career-high four blocked shots while playing the entire 40 minutes. Thomas' six steals upped her career total to 233 and moved her past Diane Dietz (229, 1978-82) into second place on Michigan's career list.
Alayne Ingram's (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS) basket and free throw gave Michigan a 3-0 lead 25 seconds into the game, but several Northwestern spurts midway through the period helped the Wildcats to a 30-22 advantage with 7:24 on the first-half clock.
Following a trey by Ingram at the 6:57 mark, Thomas took over, scoring all 10 of her first-half points during a 15-6 Michigan run that gave the Wolverines a slim one-point lead, 37-36, heading into the locker room. Michigan shot a blistering 68 percent (17-of-25) from the field in the half, but Northwestern stayed in the game by forcing 11 U-M turnovers.
The game remained close for the first eight minutes of the second half as neither team led by more than three points. Raina Goodlow's (Detroit, Mich./Domincan HS) layup at the 11:10 mark jump-started the Wolverines as they went on an 8-1 burst to lead 55-47 with 7:59 to play.
Leslie Schock's layup got the Wildcats back to within three at 57-54 with 4:03 to go, but those were the last points for Northwestern. While Michigan held the Wildcats scoreless for the final four minutes, Anne Thorius (Horsholm, Denmark) hit two free throws and added a three-pointer as the Wolverines finished the game on a 7-0 run.
Thorius finished with 14 points and matched a season high with seven assists. Also scoring in double figures for the Wolverines were Ingram (11) and Alison Miller (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS), who finished with 10 points.
Michigan will open a two-game homestand by hosting Ohio State on Friday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. in Crisler Arena.
NOTES
• The officials whistled just 18 fouls in the game, with nine on each team. Michigan set season lows with nine fouls, four free throws and five free throws attempts but tied a season high with 22 assists.
• After shooting 68 percent in the first half, Michigan's shooting cooled to 36.7 percent (11-of-30) in the second half, but the Wolverines still finished at 50.9 percent (28-of-55) for the game.
• Michigan's 68 percent (17-of-25) first-half shooting capped a 40-minute stretch (over two games) in which the Wolverines made 36-of-56 (.643) from the floor. U-M shot 61.3 percent (19-of-31) in the second half at Iowa on Jan. 22.
• With 233 career steals, Stacey Thomas needs 33 to match the Michigan record held by Lori Gnatkowski (266, 1980-84).
