Michigan
4-11 (0-4)
Purdue
10-4 (3-1)
Cold-Shooting Wolverines Lose to No. 20 Boilermakers
1/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team gave another solid effort, trailing 20th-ranked Purdue by just five late in the game, but could not get over the top in a 60-43 loss this afternoon (Sunday, Jan. 9) at Mackey Arena. In a game that was much closer than the final scored indicates, the Wolverines were paced by freshman Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./Sexton HS), who scored 20 points, including 11 in the second half.
Michigan (4-11, 0-4 Big Ten) struggled on the offensive end out of the gate, committing four turnovers in the first five minutes and falling behind 11-4 despite a deep jumper from Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS). Six of Purdue's first 11 points came off second opportunities as the Boilermakers (10-4, 3-1 Big Ten) used their size advantage on the offensive glass. The Wolverines eventually fell behind by as much as nine (13-4) before they put themselves right back in the basketball game by being aggressive off the dribble offensively and shutting out Purdue on the offensive glass.
Those six early second-chance points off of three offensive rebounds would be the only offensive boards of the first half for the Boilermakers. Michigan out-rebounded Purdue 21-11 overall in the first half and used that work on the glass to get out in transition where Jessica Starling (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby HS) found Walker to convert a sweet 2-on-1 fast break. Walker led all scorers at the break with nine points, including her fourth triple of the season.
Walker's layup finished off a 6-0 run that cut the lead to three (13-10) at the 10:41 mark. After Purdue pushed its lead back out to seven (19-12), Walker's triple closed out a 7-0 Michigan run to tie the game for the first time at 19 with 6:11 left. In addition to the work on the glass, Michigan's aggressive offense was rewarded with 10 trips to the free throw line and the Wolverines converted all 10 attempts.
Michigan also did a nice job against preseason All-America candidate Katie Gearlds, holding the sophomore to just four points in the first frame. The Wolverines used a variety of defenders against Gearlds, but it was Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) who shadowed Gearlds the most as the Wolverines trailed by just two (27-25) at the break.
Michigan's late first-half momentum did not carry over as Purdue scored the first four points of the second half and eventually pushed its lead back to nine (38-29) with less than 12 minutes remaining. The Wolverines stayed solid on the defensive end but suffered a cold spell offensively despite getting some pretty good looks. Michigan shot just .280 (14-50) from the field in the game, which proved a difficult statistic to overcome.
Michigan's defense, along with a lot of Walker, gave the Wolverines a chance to win down the stretch. After the Boilermakers pushed out to their biggest lead of the game (45-33), Walker spurred a seven-point Michigan run, scoring all seven points on a variety of moves around the basket to bring U-M within five, 45-40, with 8:23 to play. Two of Walker's hoops were the result of great finds from fellow freshman Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS), who finished with four assists.
Michigan then had several chances to come within one possession of the Boilermakers but could not convert as the Boilermakers methodically pulled away and scored the next 10 points before eventually earning the 60-43 win.
The Wolverines will close out a stretch of three games in six days when they host No. 9 Ohio State for a 7 p.m. tipoff Tuesday (Jan. 11).
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
