Michigan
Houston Jaguars (ex)
Michigan Shoots Down Jaguars in Exhibition Win
11/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team won for the second time in as many exhibition games with an 86-74 win over the Houston Jaguars on Monday (Nov. 13) in its final exhibition tuneup. Junior guard Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS) dropped in 22 points, including 3-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, leading a Michigan squad that shot 60.3 percent (35-58) from the floor as a team.
After Houston jumped out to a 7-3 lead, Ingram canned a pair of jumpers to ignite a 10-2 Wolverine run that gave Michigan a 13-9 lead and prompted a Houston 30-second timeout. Houston used the timeout to start an 11-5 run of its own and take a 20-18 lead. That was the last lead Houston would have, however, as center LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS) took charge and scored seven straight Michigan points that turned a 22-20 game into a 29-22 Michigan advantage.
Michigan kept its lead between seven and 10 points for the remainder of the half as the Wolverines doled out 12 assists to just two turnovers in the opening stanza. Junior forward Heather Oesterle (Mason, Mich./Mason HS) led Michigan with four assists, while senior point guard Anne Thorius (Horsholm, Denmark/Rungsted Gymnasium) dished out three. Michigan's ball movement offensively helped it to a 44-37 lead heading into the intermission.
A triple from Ingram opened the scoring in the second half for the Wolverines, but Michigan was unable to pull away from Houston. A layup from Oesterle gave Michigan its biggest lead of the second half of nine at 62-53, but solid perimeter shooting from the Jaguars -- 10-16 from the three-point line -- kept Houston in it. Houston eventually cut the lead to two at 71-69 after a Michigan turnover and subsequent Houston layup, forcing coach Sue Guevara to use a timeout.
After each team came away empty on a couple of possessions, Ingram came up with a runner in the lane and a spot-up three-pointer on a pass from Thorius to push the Michigan lead back out to four at 76-72. A pair of buckets down the stretch from Oesterle helped Michigan add to its lead and eventually secure an 86-74 win. Thorius finished with a game-high eight assists, while Bies finished with a game-best eight rebounds.
The real season now begins for the Wolverines with the season opener vs. Louisiana Tech (No. 8 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 Associated Press) on Friday (Nov. 13) at 7 p.m. in Crisler Arena.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Sue Guevara
On the game overall ... "Again I was happy with our ball movement and I thought we did some nice things offensively against the zone. However, we need to work on our defense on the perimeter, but that is what these games are for. Now we have three days to correct what we need to correct to play a good team like Louisiana Tech."
On the home opener vs. Louisiana Tech ... "I am excited and I know our kids are excited. Louisiana Tech presents us with a great challenge and I enjoy the fact we are opening our season with a big-time game."
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
