Michigan Drops Road Game to No. 25 Nebraska
12/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: #25 Nebraska 87, Michigan 47
Records: U-M (6-5), Nebraska (7-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Dec. 16 -- vs. Dartmouth (Crisler Arena), 7:00 p.m.
Michigan Drops Road Game to No. 25 Nebraska
Event Recap| Boxscore| Notes & Quotes
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The University of Michigan womens basketball team closed out its non-conference road schedule with a87-47 loss to Nebraska (No. 25 AP) Saturday night (Dec. 9) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Wolverines (6-5) fell victim to the hot shooting and stingy defense of the Cornhuskers (7-2), as Nebraska finished the game shooting51 percent (31-of-61) while causing23 U-M turnovers.
Junior Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) finished the game with a team-high13 points, while senior Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) came off the bench to collectsix points,three rebounds,four steals,one block andone assist in21minutes.
Cooper scored on Michigans first possession of the game, knocking down a running bank shot in the lane to put the Wolverines up 2-0. On the ensuing Nebraska possession, sophomore Stephany Skrba (Toronto, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) came up with an emphatic block to give U-M the ball back. Unfortunately the Wolverines were unable to convert again on the offensive end for 2:44, while the Cornhuskers hit four of their first five shots, including a pair of triples, which allowed them to build an 11-2 lead with 17:16 left in the first half.
Freshman Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) scored the next four Michigan points, and sophomore Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) put two homeon a strong move to the rim following her own steal to keep the Wolverines within five points of the Husker lead, 13-8, at 13:54. Nebraska responded with an 11-0 run to increase its lead to 24-10 and force a U-M timeout at 8:27.
A pair of free throws by Helvey, followed by a triple from Cooper, trimmed the deficit back to single digits, 24-15, with 7:38 to play in the half. The Cornhuskers, however, continued to find their touch and closed the first half with a 17-19 run to head into the locker room with a 41-24 advantage.
Nebraska finished the half shooting 49 percent (16-of-33), including 5-of-11 from three-point range (.455). The Husker defense created 15 turnovers, resulting in 17 points.
The Huskers opened the second half by scoring 11 unanswered points, nine of which came off of three-pointers, to increase their lead to 52-24 with 16:45 to go in the game. The Nebraska lead proved to be insurmountable, as the Wolverines were unable to draw nearer 25 points for the remainder of the contest.
The Wolverines have a week off to prepare for final exams before returning to Crisler Arena to host Dartmouth on Saturday (Dec. 16) at 7 p.m. The game can be heard live on WTKA (AM 1050).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423