Michigan
Maine
Pool, Late Surge Not Enough for Michigan Against Maine
12/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team battled back from a 17-point deficit to close within four with a minute remaining but could not complete the comeback, falling 69-61 to Maine on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 18) at Alfond Sports Arena. Tabitha Pool's (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) spectacular performance kept the Wolverines (4-6) in the game, as the senior recorded game highs of 29 points and eight rebounds and added three assists and two steals.
The Wolverines played a pretty solid first half, led by Pool's 18 points, which came on a variety of moves around the basket and one long triple with the shot clock winding down. The Black Bears (4-4) jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held that advantage throughout the first half.
Each time it looked like Maine might pull away and stretch its lead out to double digits, Michigan came up with a big play. The Black Bears led 10-2 until Pool hit her lone triple of the stanza to spark a 7-0 Michigan run, trimming the deficit to one (10-9). The lead then fluctuated between two and nine for the remainder of the half as the Wolverines squandered several good looks in the paint and could not get over the top.
Michigan shot just .345 (10-29) in the first half but limited a bigger Maine team to only two offensive boards. The Wolverines also did a nice job of handling the Black Bears pressure, committing just seven turnovers in the first half, with three of those on offensive fouls. Pool scored 15 straight Michigan points at one point in the first half before a Becky Flippin (Springfield, Mo./Parkview HS) layup broke the string and brought the Wolverines within four (28-24) at the 2:23 mark.
Despite all her scoring, it was more than just the Pool show in the first half as Michigan received excellent contributions from Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) and Jessica Starling (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby HS) on both ends of the floor and on the glass. Maine, which shot .500 (14-28) from the field in the first half, scored the final five points of the first half, including a big triple from Kim Corbitt, to take a 33-24 halftime lead.
The Black Bears maintained that momentum out of the locker room, scoring 10 of the first 12 points in the second half and pushing the lead to a game-high 17 (41-26) at the 16:02 mark.
Maine kept that lead at double digits for much of the second half, but Pool continued her excellent play, slashing to the basket and knocking down jumpers. After Pool kept the Wolverines in the game, her young teammates helped the Wolverines make a late run at the Black Bears. Flippin drilled her second three of the game with under four minutes left to cut the lead to seven (63-56) with 1:48 left. The Wolverines continued to attack the basket and get good shots and this time they were falling with Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./Sexton HS) and Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) converting in the paint.
Michigan's trapping defense began to force Maine into shots it was not comfortable taking, and the Wolverines eventually trimmed the lead to as little as four (62-58) with 1:07 remaining on a great coast-to-coast move from Pool, who went behind her back in traffic and finished an eventual three-point play with the left hand.
The run was just a little late as Maine, which entered the game shooting over 81 percent from the line, knocked down its charity tosses to pull out an eventual 69-61 win.
Flipping was second on the squad with eight points and added a team-high five assists, while Helvey contributed seven points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.
After playing seven games in 18 days, Michigan takes a nine-day break from game action before hosting Oakland on Dec. 28 at Crisler Arena in the final non-conference contest.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
