Michigan
6-15 (0-9)
Wisconsin
8-13 (2-7)
Slow Start Too Much to Overcome Against Wisconsin
1/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team dropped a 75-65 decision to Wisconsin Sunday (Jan. 29) in front of 3,122 fans at Crisler Arena. In a highly contested ballgame, the Wolverines (6-15, 0-9 Big Ten) could never overcome a slow start en route to their ninth straight loss.
Michigan put forth a balanced offensive attack, as three Wolverines scored in double figures. Sophomore Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) led U-M with 13 points on 5-of-17 shooting while matching a career high with three assists in 39 minutes of action.
Michigan proved to effective in the post for the second straight game, with sophomore Katie Dierdorf (St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy) and freshman Stephany Skrba (Richmond Hill, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) producing 12 points apiece. Dierdorf, who scored 10 of her points in the second half, pulled down six rebounds in addition to two steals and a block. Skrba grabbed a career-high nine boards and added two steals.
Wisconsin jumped out to a quick 13-3 lead behind the play of guards Ashley Josephson and Jolene Anderson. The duo presented problems for the Wolverines early on, accounting for 12 of the Badgers' 16 field goals in the first half.
A Cooper three-pointer at 16:07 was Michigan's first field goal of the afternoon and cut the Wisconsin advantage to 13-6. The Wolverines continued to inch closer throughout the next five minutes, as a coast-to-coast bucket by Benson brought the score to 20-13 with 11:04 left in the half.
Following an 11-4 Badger run, in which Anderson was responsible for six points, the Wolverines began to turn up the offensive firepower. Sophomore Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) sparked a 9-0 Maize and Blue run, putting the score at 31-26 in favor of Wisconsin with just over four minutes to go. Wisconsin and U-M exchanged baskets for the remainder of the first half, as the Badgers took a 42-33 lead into the locker room..
The second half picked up right where it left off, as the Wolverines continued to force the ball inside. Baskets by Dierdorf and Skrba trimmed the Wisconsin lead to four (52-48) at 14:24, and a three-pointer by sophomore Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) brought Michigan to within two points (53-51) with 13:09 to play.
The Badgers gained some breathing room by going on a 9-2 run over the next three minutes, which led to a 62-53 edge midway through the second half. Despite a series of Cooper baskets, the Wisconsin lead proved to be to large for the Wolverines to overcome. The Badgers scored the last six points of the contest to secure their second conference win of the season.
Michigan will next travel to State College, Pa., to take on Penn State on Thursday (Feb. 2). The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at the Bruce Jordan Center.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
