Michigan
0-1
Alabama
1-0
Michigan Drops OT Heartbreaker at Alabama in Opener
11/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- For the second straight year the University of Michigan women's basketball team saw a late lead slip away en route to an overtime loss to Alabama. The Crimson Tide's Marverly Nettles hit a pull-up jumper with three seconds left in OT to give the Tide an 81-79 win in a Friday (Nov. 19) matinee at Coleman Coliseum that was season opener for both squads.
The Wolverines were led by Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) and Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./Sexton HS) with 15 points apiece. Walker led a strong effort by the U-M bench, which combined for 45 points, including double-digit performances from Walker, Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) with 13, and Jessica Starling (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby HS) with 12. Nettles led all scorers with 25 points.
Just as Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett would have scripted it, Pool started strong, scoring the game's first seven points and pushing the Wolverines out to a lead they would hold for the entire first half.
Equally important for the Wolverines in the first half was the play off the bench by freshmen Cooper and Starling. Starters Becky Flippin (Springfield, Mo./Parkview HS) and Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) left with two fouls apiece just six minutes into the contest, but it was Starling and Cooper who delivered the scoring complement to Pool.
Starling drilled her first collegiate triple for a 12-2 Michigan lead that would eventually balloon to 13 (19-6) at the 9:43 mark after four straight free throws from Cooper. Starling finished the first frame with 10 points, while Cooper totaled eight to go with five rebounds. Alabama made a mini-run midway through the first half and cut the lead to nine (24-15), but the Wolverines answered with nine straight points for their biggest lead, up 18 (33-15) with 5:46 left before intermission. The run was sparked by Starling's second triple of the game off a nice feed from Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS).
Clement slid over to the point guard position after Flippin left with foul trouble and steadied the Wolverines on both end, handing out three assists while turning the ball over just once. She also drilled a triple of her own for a 40-26 Michigan lead at the 1:05 mark, but Alabama tallied the final five of the half to go into the break down just nine (40-31).
Alabama continued its late first-half surge by scoring the first eight points of the second half to cut the deficit down to one (40-39) before a Clement free throw broke the 13-0 run. The Crimson Tide eventually grabbed its first lead of the game at 42-41 before the Wolverines settled down and weathered the Alabama rally. The Alabama comeback was triggered by its offensive rebounding, so Burnett went back to her bench with Cooper and Walker.
Walker produced eight points and four rebounds through the first 12 minutes of the second half as Michigan regained the lead 54-50 after a triple from Flippin. After the Tide regained the lead 56-54, it was Walker coming up a conventional three-point play on a hook shot in the post. Led by Walker, Michigan began taking better care of defensive glass and, as a result, retook control of the basketball game. The Wolverines led by as many as seven (69-62) late in the game.
Six straight free throws from Alabama cut the lead to three (71-68) and a hoop by Gamble trimmed Michigan's lead to one (71-70) with 57 seconds remaining. On Michigan's next possession, Pool made a strong move to the hoop and hit the layup, but she was whistled for a tough charging call for her fifth foul and the basket was disallowed. Alabama again earned a trip to the stripe and split for a 71-71 game. Clement tried to end it in regulation for the Wolverines, but her driving lefthanded layup did not drop.
Despite not having their senior and leading scorer during the extra session, Michigan matched the Crimson Tide possession for possession with all freshman scoring in overtime. The final Michigan hoop came from Starling to tie the game at 79 with 19 seconds remaining, but Alabama's Nettles hit a contested pull-up jumper for the winner.
The Wolverines will open their home schedule Monday (Nov. 22), hosting Washington for a 7 p.m. contest at Crisler Arena.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
