Michigan
5-5
Fordham
3-5
Seven Wolverines Hit Double Digits in Rout of Fordham
12/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team blew away Fordham 98-55 Tuesday evening (Dec. 13) at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines (5-5) used a balanced offensive performance and a tenacious style of defense to thoroughly dominate the Rams (3-5), finishing the game with seven players scoring in double figures while forcing 29 Fordham turnovers. Michigan, which was without the services of an injured Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS), put up its highest point total since Dec. 4, 1998, when the Wolverines earned a 103-40 win over Central Michigan.
Freshman Stephany Skrba (Richmond Hill, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) finished the game with a game-high 16 points and matched a career best with eight rebounds. Freshman Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) came off the bench and tied a career high with 15 points while committing zero turnovers in 31 minutes. Sophomore Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) contributed a career-best 14 points with six assists and three steals, and sophomore Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) matched a career high with 14 points and added five boards and three assists.
Freshman Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) collected 12 points and five steals, sophomore Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) chipped in 11 points and four rebounds, and sophomore Katie Dierdorf (St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy) put up 10 points and a career-best five boards.
The Wolverines scorched the net in the first 10 minutes of the game, hitting 10 of their first 17 field goal attempts, including 4-of-5 from behind the arc, to establish a 24-11 lead. Michigan's backcourt was the main catalyst to the offensive outburst, as Clement canned three triples from the right wing and Cooper collected seven early points. U-M's frontcourt also got involved early, with Skrba, Benson and freshman Ashley Jones (Southfield, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) all contributing to the scoring run.
With Michigan holding a 30-15 advantage with 5:57 left in the first half, Benson and Walker converted back-to-back three-point plays to push the lead over 20 points at 36-15. The Wolverines scored six of their next eight points from the free throw line, and a bucket inside by Dierdorf with 41 seconds left in the half gave U-M a 47-23 cushion heading into the locker room.
The Maize and Blue finished the first half shooting 16-of-28 (.571) from the field. All nine U-M players that saw time got on the scoresheet, led by Clement's 12 points. The Michigan defense forced Fordham into 19 first-half turnovers and held the Rams to just 16 field goal attempts (8-of-16).
Michigan limited Fordham to just one field goal in the first five minutes of the second frame, while Benson, Minnfield and Cooper drilled consecutive triples during the span to increase the lead to 60-25 with 15:46 remaining in the game. After Walker connected on another three-pointer, Skrba muscled home two points in the post to push the U-M lead to 40 points, 67-27, with 13:55 left on the clock.
The Wolverines continued their relentless attack throughout the remainder of the contest, increasing the lead to as many as 46 points.
Michigan returns to Crisler Arena this Saturday (Dec. 17) to host Nebraska at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast by FSN Midwest.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
