Michigan
Wisconsin
Strong Finish Gives Wolverines Road Win at Wisconsin
1/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team gained a huge road win in the Big Ten Conference this evening (Thursday, Jan. 22) with a 63-60 win over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. Jennifer Smith (Lansing, Mich./DeWitt HS) dominated the second half, scoring 20 of her game-high 32 points in that frame and putting the Wolverines in position to win before Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) capitalized by hitting the winning 18-foot jumper with 0:31 left on the clock.
The Wolverines (10-9, 3-3 Big Ten) opened the game quickly on the offensive end with Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS) and Pool knocking down early triples and Smith converting a conventional three-point play in the post while Michigan grabbed a 11-9 edge.
However, Michigan's quick start offensively did not carry over to the defensive end as Wisconsin answered with a 12-2 run that was paced by perimeter shooting. The Wolverines entered tonight's contest leading the conference in defending the three, but they watched the Badgers drill three of their first four attempts behind the arc.
Down eight (21-13) at the 10:58 mark, Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett called a timeout and the Wolverines responded with maybe their best stretch of the basketball this season over the next nine-plus minutes. Pool set the tone by stuffing the stat sheet during a 13-0 run that turned a 23-15 deficit into a 28-23 lead. Pool was all over the court, forcing turnovers, collecting defensive boards and starting the break as the Wolverines turned Wisconsin mistakes into hoops. Michigan scored 14 points off 10 Wisconsin turnovers in the first frame while Pool led the Wolverines in rebounds (five), assists (three) and steals (four) for the first half. She added nine points as well.
Pool's excellent all-around play opened things up in the paint for Smith, who scored seven points during the 13-0 run and finished with 12 first-half points on 4-5 shooting. After struggling early on the defensive end, Michigan picked up its intensity, collecting seven steals while forcing Wisconsin's 10 miscues. Contrarily, the Wolverines' ball movement on the offensive end was as crisp as it has been all season as the Wolverines handed out 10 first-half assists against just seven turnovers.
Both teams exchanged hoops late in the half and the Wolverines carried a 35-29 edge into the locker room.
The halftime break cooled off Michigan's play as the Wolverines became a careless with the basketball offensively while Wisconsin opened the second frame with a 14-2 run that erased the Michigan lead and left the Maize and Blue down six (43-37) at the 11:53 mark. Just as Pool did in the first half when her team was struggling, Smith took over for a key stretch, scoring the next eight straight points for Michigan and in the process cutting the deficit to just one (46-45).
Michigan's comeback attempt was slowed a bit when the Wolverines picked up their seventh team foul at the 8:36 mark, sending the Badgers into the bonus. At the time Wisconsin had committed just two team fouls. Michigan maintained its poise and kept pounding the ball to Smith on the block, who responded with a variety of moves and scored 14 of Michigan's 16 points from the 11:37 mark until the 4:39 mark as the Wolverines knotted the scored at 53 on a patented Smith post move to her left.
A huge Wisconsin triple from Stephanie Rich followed, however, and the Badgers regained control heading down the stretch. Just when it appeared as though Wisconsin was ready to salt this one away, it was Smith again answering the bell. Down 60-55, Michigan got a basket and two free throws from Smith to pull within one and set up Pool's winning bucket. Smith also grabbed a rebound after a Wisconsin miss and salted away the win by making two free throws.
Michigan returns to action Sunday (Jan. 25) at Iowa. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CST at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
N O T E S
Jennifer Smith's 32 points represent her team-best fifth game this season of 30 points or more.
Tabitha Pool's six assists matched a career high which she set at Wisconsin as a freshman.
Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame Prep) matched a career best with five assists.
Michigan's 18 team assists for the game are a season best. The Wolverines' previous season high was 16, which was accomplished on three occasions, last at Northwestern on Jan. 4.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
