Michigan
2-3
Toledo
2-1
Wolverines Drop Overtime Decision to Toledo at Home
11/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team dropped a 61-55 overtime decision to Toledo Saturday night (Nov. 26) at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines (2-3) led by as many as 10 points in the first half and held a seven-point advantage with under five minutes to play in regulation, but the Rockets (2-1) stormed back to force overtime and hold U-M without a single field goal in the overtime session.
All 11 players scored for Michigan, led by sophomore Ta'Shia Walker's (Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) nine-point and career-high 10-rebound effort. Toledo native Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) led the Wolverines with a team-high six assists, to go along with six points. Jasmine House paced Toledo with a game-high 18 points.
Helvey brought the Crisler Arena crowd to its feet before either team even got on the scoreboard, as she swatted away a wide-open layup by Crystal Young in the opening minute. After a Toledo foul, freshman Melinda Queen (Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) knocked down a long jumper from the top to put the Wolverines ahead 2-0. Michigan then worked the ball down low to Walker, who muscled home her first basket to give U-M a four-point lead. The Rockets responded with five unanswered points to go up by one, but sophomore Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) came off the bench and drilled her first triple to push the Wolverines back on top, 7-5, heading into the first timeout at 15:51.
Clement's basket was the beginning of an 11-0 Michigan run, as sophomore Katie Dierdorf (St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy) scored four of the game's next six points and Helvey got into the mix with a layup. A pretty reverse bucket by freshman Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) capped off the surge and put the Wolverines ahead 15-5 with 12:30 left in the first half.
Toledo battled back to tie the game at 15-15 thanks to a 10-0 run over the next four minutes of play. A Benson basket inside broke the offensive drought and allowed Michigan to reclaim a two-point advantage. The Wolverines went cold from the field once again, recording just two Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) free throws over a four-minute span. Meanwhile, the Rockets took their first lead of the game, 20-19, on a House triple with 3:25 remaining until the break.
A hook shot inside by Walker put U-M in front again, but Danielle Bishop scored four unanswered points to give Toledo a 24-21 edge in the late stages of the half. Michigan took the momentum into the locker room after freshman Ashley Jones (Southfield, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) converted on a tough layup in the final minute to cut the Toledo deficit to 24-23.
Freshman Stephany Skrba (Richmond Hill, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) put home a turnaround jumper from the wing to get things started in the second half, and Walker followed with layup to give U-M a 27-24 lead. The Rockets scored eight of the game's next 11 points to regain a 32-30 advantage. Michigan, however, answered back with an 8-0 run to go up by six points, 38-32, at 12:37. Four different players scored during the run, including Clement, who connected on her second three-pointer of the game.
Queen allowed the Wolverines to maintain a six-point advantage over the next five minutes, scoring four of U-M's next six points off a pair of jumpers. With Michigan leading 47-42, sophomore Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) drove to the lane and scored in traffic to give the Maize and Blue a seven-point edge with 5:03 left in the second half.
A transition basket by Benson would be Michigan's only points in the final five minutes of regulation. Toledo took advantage on the other end, as the Rockets went on an 8-2 run to come within one point, 51-50, with 0:56 left on the clock. Toledo had an opportunity to take the lead with 0:30 left in the game, but Young missed the second of two free throws to give U-M a chance to win the game on its final possession.
The Wolverines had four chances at a game-winning basket in the last seconds of regulation, but none could find the bottom of the net. Helvey's first attempt fell short, but Toledo lost the ball out of bounds to give U-M another shot. Benson found herself with the ball after the inbounding pass, but her shot was too strong. Walker collected the errant shot and fired two consecutive attempts off the side of the backboard as time expired.
Michigan managed just four points on free throws from Helvey and sophomore Jessica Starling (Tallahassee, Fla./Amos P. Godby HS) in the extra period. House's three-pointer with 2:57 left put the Rockets ahead for good, and Bishop increased the lead to 56-53 with two free throws after a technical foul on the Michigan bench. The ensuing possession resulted in another Bishop jumper to push the lead to 58-53 with 1:13 to go. Time eventually ran out on the Wolverines, and the Rockets sealed the game from the free throw line.
Michigan continues its five-game homestand this Wednesday (Nov. 30) against Central Michigan. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Crisler Arena. The game will be televised by Comcast Local.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
