Michigan
Purdue
Michigan Comeback, Upset Bid Fall Short at No. 2 Purdue
2/7/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site:Â West Lafayette, Ind. (Mackey Arena)
Score:Â #2 Purdue 70, Michigan 64
Records:Â U-M (14-8, 6-6 Big Ten), Purdue (21-1, 12-0 Big Ten)
Next U-M Game:Â Friday, Feb. 12 -- vs. Illinois (Crisler Arena), 7:30 p.m.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team headed to Purdue University on Sunday (Feb. 7) hoping to repeat its performance from last year, when the Wolverines upset the Boilermakers by two in front of the second-largest crowd ever to take in a women's game in Mackey Arena. The scene was all too familiar, as Michigan overcame a first-half deficit and appeared to be on the brink of another upset.
Once again, in front of the second-largest Purdue crowd ever (12,932), Michigan had an opportunity to hand the second-ranked Boilermakers just their second loss of the season, in the Fox Sports Chicago Big Ten Game of the Week. But the Wolverines fell short, losing 70-64 despite outscoring Purdue 37-34 in the second half.
Season-high scoring outputs from Anne Thorius (Horsholm, Denmark) (22 points) and Ann Lemire (Fairgrove, Mich./Frankenmuth HS) (20 points) were not enough as Purdue pulled out its 21st win of the season -- and 19th in a row -- and maintained a spotless Big Ten record at 12-0 in the process. Michigan dropped to 14-8 and an even 6-6 in the Big Ten.
Plagued by foul trouble from the onset, two Wolverine starters were stifled as Stacey Thomas (Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy) and Alison Miller (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) entered halftime with three fouls apiece. Miller eventually fouled out of the game with 3:02 left in the second half, while Thomas was tabbed with her fourth just 13 seconds into the second session. Michigan closed the night with 23 fouls and three players with four: Thomas, freshman Ruth Kipping (Quincy, Ill./Quincy HS) and freshman Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS).
The Wolverines jumped out to an early 9-6 lead, but Purdue answered with seven straight points to go up by four. Four points from Lemire brought Michigan within one, 15-14, but that's as close as it would get for U-M in the opening session. An 11-4 Purdue run opened it up for the home team, which eventually took a 36-25 lead with 20 seconds on the clock. Thorius sent the Wolverines into halftime down by nine, 36-27, with two of her seven free throws, after being fouled by Tiffany Young.
Though the second half got off to an inauspicious start with Thomas' fourth foul, the Wolverines turned it around and came out with a 9-2 run, bringing them within four, 40-36, on a Kipping jump shot. Three baskets from three different Boilermakers brought the deficit back to double digits, 46-36, but the Wolverines quelled the threat by holding Purdue scoreless for the next five minutes. In that period, Michigan managed to tie it up at 46 and go up by one on another pair of Thorius free throws at 10:54.
The lead changed hands three more times in the ensuing minute, and U-M tied it up at 55, but the Boilermakers regained the lead for good at 4:35 on a Stephanie White-McCarty jumper (57-55).
Despite Purdue's 10-for-10 free throw shooting in the closing 3:02, Michigan never let the game get out of reach. A three-pointer from Lemire with 30 seconds on the clock pulled Michigan within three, 64-61. Six straight Purdue free throws sealed the win, but an Ingram triple with six ticks left made it a 68-64 game. Ingram fouled White-McCarty on the inbounds, sending the senior All-American to the line one last time for the final 70-64 score.
Michigan was able to hold Purdue, which leads the nation with 41.7 percent three-point shooting, to 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from long range. It also limited the Boilers to 39.3 percent overall shooting, well under their league-leading 47.8 percent. That resulted in just a six-point win for a team which outscores its opponents by 18.4 points.
Meanwhile, Michigan recorded respectable numbers with 47.7 percent shooting from the floor, 58.3 percent from long range and 83.3 percent from the line.
Michigan returns to the court on Friday, Feb. 12, hosting Illinois at 7:30 p.m. in Crisler Arena.
NOTES
• Entering the game, Stacey Thomas needed eight points to reach the 1,000-point mark, but she scored a career-low two points against the Boilermakers. Thomas also needed five steals to break her own school record for steals in a season (89 as a sophomore in 1997-98). With two thefts at Purdue, she now has 87 this year.
• After struggling from three-point land all season -- Michigan was last in the Big Ten at 27.5 percent -- the Wolverines had a successful weekend when it came to nailing triples. Michigan went 7-for-13 (53.8) at Minnesota and made 7-of-12 in West Lafayette. On the weekend, U-M shot 56 percent (14-of-25). From the line, Michigan went a combined 34-for-44 (.772), most likely maintaining its league-leading pace.
QUOTES
Michigan Coach Sue Guevara
"I think we like to play here in front of 12,000 people because we've played well at Mackey Arena the last two years. Ukari (Figgs), Katie Douglas, Stephanie (White-McCarty), you know those three are going to score. We knew we were going to get beat on the ball sometimes because they penetrate so well. I thought rotation was going to be the key. ... Purdue kept their cool; there's a reason they're the No. 2 team in the country. Good teams like Purdue know to take it at you."
"Stephanie (White-McCarty) is one of the best in the country as far as drawing the defense to her. She's very good at leaning. At one point, we blocked a shot of hers, she got it back, put it in and drew the foul."
"I said coming into this game that our bench was going to have to produce. I said to Ann Lemire, 'Here's (freshman) Alayne Ingram, she's starting, she's playing in front of 12,000 people for the first time, and you're going to need to be ready.' And she was."
"We've been really good as far as out-rebounding our opponents, going to the offensive boards. We had 26 (offensive rebounds) against La. Tech. Purdue did a good job boxing out on us."
On making up for Thomas' lack of production ... "I think with the team we have, it's not just 'the Stacey Thomas Team.' Everybody concentrates on Stacey Thomas and I think that's good because then we have other people who are going to pick it up. We've had 4-5 kids score in double figures several times this year, so it's not just Stacey Thomas."
On the last five minutes of the game ... "We needed a defensive stop. We knew who was going to get the ball (for Purdue), but we had Lemire, Anne Thorius, Alayne Ingram, all three of them are three-point shooters. And Raina Goodlow was out there; she can hit the three too. But the shots have to fall and they didn't."
"I hope we get to see Stephanie White-McCarty and Ukari Figgs one last time -- at the Big Ten Tournament."
U-M Sophomore Point Guard Anne Thorius
"When Stacey (Thomas) doesn't play well, it puts more pressure on the perimeter players to produce on offense. ... In the second half, Purdue didn't cause as many turnovers -- we only had five. They're smart, they do all the things right -- boxing out, pressing on the perimeter, cover passing lanes."
Comparing Purdue and Louisiana Tech ... "Purdue is different than Louisiana Tech. We match up better with Purdue. They're smart players, and Louisiana Tech had fast players."
