Weekly Release #4
11/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Opening Tip
Following a busy week of four games in seven days, the University of Michigan women's basketball team carries its 3-1 record into an important week, which begins with a home contest on Monday (Nov. 25, 6 p.m.) vs. Alabama. While the Wolverines have already played four games, including three in the Preseason WNIT, the Crimson Tide arrives in Ann Arbor for their season opener. Alabama returns three of five starters from a team that went 13-15 a year ago, including a 3-11 mark in the conference. After the Wolverines look for their fourth home victory in as many tries, they take to the road over Thanksgiving weekend at the SMU Hoops for Cure Classic in Dallas, Texas, on Friday-Saturday (Nov. 28-29). Michigan opens the four-team tournament vs. No. 5-ranked Texas Tech on Friday (5 p.m. CST) before moving onto to either the championship or consolation game on Saturday (Nov. 29, 7/5 p.m. CST) vs. either Southern Methodist or Texas-Arlington.
What: Michigan vs. Alabama
When: Nov. 24, 2003 (6 p.m.) in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Radio: WHNE AM-1290/MGoBlue.com
Television: UMTV 22 (Ann Arbor-Comcast)/MGoBlue.com
What: Michigan vs. No. 5 Texas Tech
When: Nov. 28, 2003 (5 p.m. CST) in Dallas, Texas
Radio: MGoBlue.com will provide a link to Texas Tech's broadcast
Television: none
What: Michigan vs. SMU/Texas-Arlington
When: Nov. 29, 2003 (5/7 p.m. CST) in Dallas, Texas
Radio: MGoBlue.com
Television: none
IN THE PAINT
-- Coming off a career-best 32-point, 13-rebound effort in a win over Western Michigan on Friday (Nov. 21), senior center Jennifer Smith leads the Wolverines with 20.8 points through four games. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, Smith now has two games this season of more than 20 points, which is tied for the team lead with fellow senior Stephanie Gandy.
-- Smith (20.8 points/8.0 rebounds), Gandy (14.8 points/5.3 rebounds) and junior Tabitha Pool (12.5 points/8.5 rebounds) provide a triple threat for the Wolverines, with the triumvirate combining to average 48.1 of Michigan's 67.0 points and 21.6 of the Wolverines' 38.5 rebounds per game. They account for 72% of Michigan's scoring and 56% of its rebounding.
-- Sophomore forward Niki Reams is tied for the team lead in assists (11) with Pool. Reams came off the bench to match a career best with six assists while collecting a career-best 12 rebounds. It marked the first time in Reams' career she grabbed double figures in rebounds.
-- Pool and Smith are the only Wolverines to score double figures in all four games thus far. Each has totaled one double-double this season.
-- Monday's game vs. Alabama is the Wolverines' fifth in 10 days to open the season. Head coach Cheryl Burnett used all 10 players that were dressed in Michigan's win over Western Michigan on Friday (Nov. 21).
-- Michigan is developing the reputation as a second-half team early in the Burnett era. The Wolverines have trailed at the half in two of their three wins and are being outscored 124-122 in the first half of their first four games. However, Michigan has been a different team in the second half, outscoring the opposition 146-131, including a 40-26 edge in the second stanza of the win over Western Michigan.
The Opponents
Alabama (0-0): The Crimson Tide open their season at Michigan Alabama went 1-1 in exhibition action, defeating Berry College (98-66), but being tripped up by Premiere Players (71-60) 5-10 freshman guard Navonda Moore led Alabama in scoring during the exhibition season with 16.0 points while pulling down 7.5 boards Alabama averaged 79.0 points in its two exhibition tilts, but shot just .500 (14-28) from the charity stripe.
Series: first meeting
No. 5 Texas Tech (4-0): The Lady Raiders defeated 15th-ranked Rutgers 73-45 today (Nov. 23) to claim the 2003 Preseason WNIT championship Texas Tech also owns a 68-41 win over then-No. 18 UC Santa Barbara on Thursday (Nov. 20) Jia Perkins is the only Lady Red Raider averaging in double figures at 18.5 points while also hauling in 7.5 boards Texas Tech has eight players averaging at least 6.0 points and are outscoring its opponents 76.2-45.2 through four games as a team Texas Tech has close to a 2-1 assist-turnover ratio with 76 assists against just 42 turnovers.
Series: first meeting
Michigan vs. the SEC
The Wolverines did not face a team from the Southeastern Conference last season and have not faced one since beating then-No. 21 LSU 86-81 in double overtime on Dec. 16, 2001, in Baton Rouge, La. The last SEC team to play in Crisler Arena was Vanderbilt, which earned a 76-60 win over the Wolverines on Dec. 7, 1999. The loss was Michigan's first of the season after seven straight wins and one of just eight losses on the season as the 1999-2000 Wolverines posted a school-record 22-8 mark overall as well as 13-3 in the Big Ten.
Michigan and the Big XII
Although the Wolverines and Lady Raiders have never faced one another, Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett is 0-1 all-time vs. Texas Tech. Michigan has not faced a Big XII team since winning at Colorado 77-63 on Nov. 21, 1999, for the second of a school-record seven straight wins to open the season.
Michigan-Texas Tech Common Opponent
Michigan and Texas Tech have played common opponent during the young season, with each team facing Rutgers. While Texas Tech disposed of Rutgers 73-45 in the Preseason WNIT title game on the Lady Raiders home floor on Sunday (Nov. 23), Michigan was handed its only defeat of the season, falling 65-50 at Rutgers on Wednesday (Nov. 19) in the Preseason WNIT semifinals. Rutgers was able to shoot .480 from the floor in its win over Michigan, but was held to just .298 in the loss at Texas Tech. Rutgers also held a four-rebound advantage (35-31) over Michigan but was killed on the glass by Texas Tech (50-33).
Fast Starts
Michigan's 3-1 start out of the gate this season looks familiar to Wolverine fans after the Maize and Blue opened last season 8-1 and the 2001-02 campaign 10-1. The Wolverines have not been dealt their second defeat of the season until Dec. 29 and Dec. 28 the last two seasons.
Michigan vs. Ranked Teams
The Wolverines are 0-1 this season vs. ranked teams after falling 65-50 at No. 15 Rutgers on Nov. 19. Michigan owns 17 wins all-time vs. ranked opposition, with its last victory over such an opponent occurring on Nov. 25, 2002, with a 70-64 win over then-No. 24 UC Santa Barbara. Michigan has one all-time win over a top-10 foe on its resume, beating then-No. 8 Louisiana Tech 69-66 in the 2000-01 season opener. Although the Wolverines have just 17 all-time wins over ranked opposition, new Wolverine coach Cheryl Burnett boasts 19 in her 15 seasons on the sidelines at Southwest Missouri State from 1987-2002. Burnett is 19-24 all-time vs. ranked teams after the loss at Rutgers.
Michigan vs. NCAA Tournament Teams
Texas Tech will provide Michigan with its fourth game among its first six against a team coming off an NCAA Tournament berth a year ago. Michigan is 2-1 in those games thus far following a 66-53 win over Western Michigan last Friday (Nov. 21). The following is a game-by-game rundown of Michigan vs. 2003 NCAA Tournament teams.
11/17 vs. Cincinnati W, 73-69
11/19 at No. 15 Rutgers L, 50-65
11/21 vs. Western Michigan W, 66-53
PLAYER NOTES
-- Jennifer Smith's 32 points in the win over Western Michigan made her the first Wolverine to score more than 30 points in a game since LeeAnn Bies tallied 31 in a 75-64 loss at Xavier on Dec. 8, 2002.
-- Sophomore guard-forward Niki Reams, who grabbed a career-best 12 boards in the win over Western Michigan, has 21 total rebounds on the season and is tied for the team lead in offensive boards with nine. Oddly enough, Reams shares the team lead in a offensive boards and assists (11).
-- Jennifer Smith has made 31 free throws this season while the Wolverines have made 67 as a team. Michigan continues to win the battle at the stripe, making (67) four more free throws than its opponents are attempting (63).
-- After posting a team-high 106 turnovers last season, Tabitha Pool is the only Wolverine better than a 2-1 assist-turnover ration (11-5) through the first four games. Pool and Reams are tied for the team lead in assists (11).
RECORD/MILESTONE WATCH
-- Jennifer Smith now has 1,138 career points, which places her 11th on the all-time Wolverine list. Smith needs just five points to move past Tempie Brown (1986-90) and into the top 10 for Michigan career scorers. Smith recently moved into the school's top-10 list for rebounding when her career-best 13-rebound effort vs. Western Michigan gave her 564 for her career, moving past Diane Dietz (1978-82) and into 10th on the career list.
-- Stephanie Gandy needs seven rebounds to push her career total to 427, which would move her past Carol Szczechowski (1988-92) and into 20th place in the school's career record books.
-- Gandy's next steal will be the 100th of her career.
-- Tabitha Pool needs 22 points to reach 600 points for her career.
-- Smith will play in her 90th career game on Monday (Nov. 24) vs. Alabama.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Preseason WNIT
Michigan opened the Cheryl Burnett season with a bang, defeating Miami (Ohio) 79-68 on Nov. 15 and then earning a 73-69 victory over Cincinnati on Nov. 17 to advance to the Preseason WNIT semifinals in the Wolverines' initial tournament appearance. Michigan's bid for a title game appearance was thwarted by a 65-50 loss at then-No. 15 Rutgers on Nov. 21 in the semifinals. Stephanie Gandy led the way during Michigan's three-game run, averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds. Jennifer Smith totaled 17.0 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Wolverines.
Smith Garners Weekly Honor
Jennifer Smith earned the first Big Ten Player of the Week honor for the 2003-04 season and the first of her career on Nov. 17 after compiling 24 points and eight rebounds while notching a career-best with 10 makes at the charity stripe. Smith also chipped in with a career-best four steals as Michigan opened up the Cheryl Burnett era with a 79-68 win over Miami (Ohio) in the Preseason WNIT first round.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
