Michigan
7-6
St. Bonaventure
7-5
Michigan Struggles on Offense in Home Loss to SBU
12/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: St. Bonaventure 56, Michigan 50
Records: U-M (7-6), SBU (7-5)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, Dec. 28 -- at Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.), 7:00 p.m.
Michigan Struggles on Offense in Home Loss to SBU
Event Recap| Boxscore| Photos| Notes & Quotes
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team closed out its non-conference schedule with a 56-50 loss to St. Bonaventure Friday night (Dec. 22) at Crisler Arena. The Wolverinesgot off to a fast start by opening the contest with a 13-4 run, but the Bonnies (7-5) battled backand eventually took a26-24 lead heading into halftime.U-M was able to regain the lead for a brief moment earlyin the second half before SBU found its touch and was able to outlast the Maize and Blueto secureits fourth straight road victory. Michigan now enters the Big Ten Conferenceseason with a7-5 record.
In her first start since Nov. 13, senior Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS)posted a team-high 14 pointsto go along with five rebounds, four steals, two assists and one block. She also shot 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Junior Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) contributed 12 points and four rebounds in her first start of the season. Sophomore Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) chipped in nine points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds in a team-high 38 minutes of action.
The Wolverines struggled to find a rhythm on offense throughout amajority of the game, finishing the night shooting 33 percent (18-of-54). U-M was able to get looks from the perimeter but finished shooting a season-low eight percent (1-of-12) from three-point range.
With the scored tied at 4-4 3:09 into the game, Michigan built its biggest lead of the contest thanks to a 9-0 run that put the score at 13-4 with 12:18 left in the first half. Helvey and Walker were largely responsible for U-M's early success, as the two combined for all but two of the team's first 13 points. The early highlight of the game saw Helvey make a quick touch pass in transition to Walker, who knocked down a layup as she was fouled to put the Wolverines up 11-4. The Wolverine defense held the Bonnies without a point for 5:26 during the U-M offensive surge.
St. Bonaventure reeled off a 10-1 scoring run to tie the score at 14-14 with 8:43 remaining until the break. Meanwhile, Michigan was held without a field goal for a span of 6:19. Neither team was able to build a lead of more than four points in the closing minutes of the first half, as the Bonnies headed into the locker room with a 26-24 advantage.
U-M opened the second half with a quick 7-3 run in the first 2:20, which allowed the Wolverines to regain a slight 31-29 lead. Helvey accounted for all but two of the seven points, scoring on a layup on the first possession of the half before hitting a tough runner off the glass as she was fouled and knocking down the ensuing free throw.
St. Bonaventure built a lead of as much as five points over the next 8:14 minutes of play, but Helvey knocked down a pair of free throws and Queen hit a jumper from the corner to bring Michigan within one point at 42-41 with 7:46 left in the game.
The Bonnies answered with a 6-0 run to increase their lead to 48-41 with 3:16 on the clock. Minnfield gave U-M life by hitting the team's first and only three-pointer at 2:51 to cut the deficit to 48-44.
Unfortunately that would be as close as the Wolverines would get, as St. Bonaventure continued to hit the big shots down the stretch. U-M was held to just one field goal the rest of the way, as SBU was able to seal the game from the free throw line.
Michiganopens the Big Ten season on the road at Purdue on Thursday (Dec. 28). The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind., withradio coverage by WTKA (AM 1050).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
