Michigan
1-1
Ball State
1-0
Michigan Unable to Hold On Against Ball State
11/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: Ball State 62, Michigan 58
Records: U-M (1-1), BSU (1-0)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 18 -- at Nevada-Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.), 3:00 p.m. PST
Michigan Unable to Hold On Against Ball State
Event Recap| Boxscore| Photos| Notes & Quotes
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season with a narrow 62-58 defeat to Ball State Monday night (Nov. 11) at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines (1-1) built a lead as large as 13 points in the first half while limiting the Cardinals (1-0) to just 25 percent shooting, but BSU warmed up, using a 16-0 run in the middle of the second stanza to gain a nine-point lead it would never relinquish.
Junior Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) led the Wolverines in scoring for the second straight game, finishing with 13 points in addition to four rebounds. Freshman LeQuisha Whitfield (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) chipped in 11 points and four boards, while classmate Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) contributed 10 points, four rebounds and two assists off the bench. Sophomore Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) also had a strong outing off the bench, collecting eight points and four rebounds.
Michigan's frontcourt provided an early spark on offense, as sophomore Ashley Jones (Southfield, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) connected on a basket down low, putting the Wolverines on the scoreboard. Whitfield added to the quick start, collecting five straight points on a layup and her first career three-pointer. The result was a 7-3 U-M lead heading into the first media timeout at 15:47.
The Cardinals recorded just three field goals in the first 7:22 of the contest, but were still in striking distance at 15-13 thanks to a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe.
Phillips came off the bench and gave the Wolverines some great production inside, scoring four straight points to put U-M on top by six. Triples by junior Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) and Benson increased the lead to nine points, and a three-point play by Phillips, off a nice dish from Cooper, put Michigan ahead 28-18. A steal on the ensuing inbounding pass resulted in a Cooper triple from the top of the key, increasing the Wolverine advantage to a game-high 13 points with 3:43 left until halftime.
Michigan was able to jump out to the double-digit lead thanks to a smothering defense, which held Ball State without a field goal for a span of 9:07. The Cardinals, however, were able to claw their way back thanks to a 7-1 run in the remaining minutes of the half. The surge put BSU within seven points heading into the break at 32-25.
Ball State's Kelsey Corbin scored six points during an 11-4 Cardinal run in the first 5:02 of the second half, which knotted the score at 36-36. The Wolverines came out of a timeout and put together a 7-0 run, including five straight from Cooper, to jump back in front 42-36.
The lead, however, was short-lived, as Ball State continued to light it up from outside en route to a 16-0 run, putting the Cardinals ahead, 52-43, with 8:22 to play.
Michigan would not back down, going on a quick 9-4 run, led by the shooting of Benson, to draw within two points at 56-54 with 4:10 left on the clock.
The next possession proved to be the dagger, as Ball State's Kiley Jarrett nailed a triple to put the Cardinals ahead 59-54. Whitfield answered with a quick lay-in to trim the lead to three points, but a layup by Kalynne Proctor at the two-minute mark put the game out of reach at 61-56.
The Wolverines will open their road schedule against UNLV this Saturday (Nov. 18). The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. PST (6 p.m. EST) start at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nev., with radio coverage by WLBY (AM 1290).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
