Michigan
Athletes in Action (ex)
Clement Three-Pointer Lifts U-M Past Athletes in Action
11/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: Michigan 65, Athletes in Action 64 (exhibition)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 6 -- vs. Ohio Legends (Crisler Arena), 2 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team earned a thrilling 65-64 exhibition victory over Athletes in Action Tuesday night (Nov. 1) at Crisler Arena. With U-M trailing 64-62 with only seven seconds remaining, sophomore Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) drilled a three-pointer from the wing to give the Wolverines the win in their first test of the season.
Clement, who was responsible for seven of Michigan's final nine points, finished the game with 12 points, including three-of-six from behind the arc. Sophomore Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) scored a team-high 20 points including six-of-seven from the charity stripe. Freshman Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) was the third Wolverine to score in double figures, chipping in 10 points and two steals.
Freshman Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) produced the first bucket of the Wolverines' season, going off the glass to come even with Athletes in Action at two apiece. U-M traded baskets with AIA, as Benson nailed two buckets, including a soft jump shot from the corner, before Athletes in Action jumped out to a 10-6 lead just four minutes into the game.
Returning from a timeout at 15:48, Walker connected on a hook shot before landing a jumper from outside the lane to knot the game at 10 with 14:43 remaining in the first half. Freshman Stephany Skrba (Richmond Hill, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) came off the bench and made an immediate impact, hitting two of her first three shots as the Wolverines went on a 5-0 run and gained their first lead of the game, 15-14, at the 11:55 mark.
AIA responded, going on a 6-2 run before Walker would strike again on a putback off sophomore Janelle Cooper's (Detroit, Mich./ Renaissance HS) missed free throw. Cooper regained the lead for the Maize and Blue, 21-20, on a runner in the lane with 7:08 left before the half.
The nip-and-tuck battle of the first half continued until Michigan jumped ahead 32-29 after going on a 9-3 run to close out the first half. Junior Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) sparked the run with a jumper from the top of the key, and a Minnfield bucket and a pair of Walker free throws brought the game to 29-26 with 3:37 remaining in the first half. Clement added a three-pointer from the corner to extend the Michigan advantage just before half.
Walker led the way for the Wolverines in the first half, connecting on four-of-seven field goals in addition to going a perfect four-of-four on the free throw line for a team-high 12 points. Helvey added three steals and two assists in a solid first-half effort.
The Wolverines picked up where they left off in the second the half, as a Benson putback and a Walker fast break layup extended the U-M advantage to 36-29 at 18:39 in the second half. The seven-point lead would tie the largest of the night for the Wolverines before Athletes in Action went on a 9-1 run to take the lead at 38-37. Two Benson baskets, the second coming at 13:40, allowed the Maize and Blue to regain the lead at 41-40.
AIA once again reclaimed the lead, as a 9-2 run put it up 43-49 at 10:32 left in the game. After exchanging baskets, U-M fought back to tie the game at 53-53 on a Skrba layup with 4:12 left in the game. Athletes in Action responded with a three-pointer before a Cooper layup and a Minnfield free throw knotted the teams at 56 with 2:46 remaining.
Two Walker free throws and a Clement free throw set the stage for the dramatic conclusion, as U-M trailed by two points in the final seconds of regulation.
Michigan will conclude its exhibition season this Sunday (Nov. 6, 2 p.m.), as the Wolverines take on the Ohio Legends at Crisler Arena.
