Michigan
6-18 (0-12)
Ohio State
20-2 (10-1)
Spirited Michigan Stays With No. 7 Buckeyes Until Late
2/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team fell short in its attempt to upset No. 7 Ohio State, falling by a score of 74-55 Friday evening (Feb. 10) in front of 2,332 fans at Crisler Arena. Playing with a depleted roster, the Wolverines (6-18, 0-12 Big Ten) hung tough with the heavily favored Buckeyes (20-2, 10-1 Big Ten) for a majority of the contest. Ohio State, however, turned a three-point lead with 11 minutes to play into a double-digit cushion that U-M was never able to battle back from.
Michigan finished the game with three players scoring in double figures, led by freshman Stephany Skrba's (Richmond Hill, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) 17 points and career-high 13 rebounds. Sophomore Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) put together another fine performance with 13 points, including 3-of-7 from three-point range, and tied a career best with three assists. Freshman Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) chipped in 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, while freshman Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) posted eight points and six assists.
Both teams went to their perimeter players in the early going, as 18 of the game's first 24 points were scored from beyond the three-point arc. The Wolverines scored their first 12 points from long range, with two Benson triples sandwiched between three-pointers from Minnfield and Cooper. Benson added a long jumper from the wing to put Michigan up 14-10 with 14:17 left in the first half.
The Buckeyes responded with a 13-0 run over the next four minutes to regain a 23-14 lead with 10:14 remaining until the break. Minnfield's second triple brought the Wolverines within six points, while freshman Ashley Jones (Southfield, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) and Skrba later scored back-to-back buckets to keep U-M in contention at 25-21 with 5:37 left until halftime.
Ohio State scored six unanswered points over the next two minutes to push its lead to 31-21, but Michigan closed out the half with a 9-1 run to trail by just two points, 32-30, heading into the locker room. Skrba accounted for seven of the nine points, while the U-M defense held the Buckeyes without a field goal for the last 3:39 of the half.
Skrba and Benson combined for 19 of Michigan's 30 first-half points. The Wolverines finished the first 20 minutes shooting 44 percent from the field (12-of-27), including 5-of-9 from three-point range.
A Cooper triple in the first minute of the second half put Michigan back in the lead at 33-32, but Ohio State answered once again with a 13-3 run to retake a 45-36 advantage with 14:49 to go. A jumper from Skrba followed by another three-pointer by Cooper pulled the Wolverines within four points, 45-41.
Michigan stayed within striking distance during the next three minutes of play, with a Skrba putback off her own miss trimming OSU's lead down to one possession, 50-47, at 11:07. The Buckeyes continued to find a rhythm, jumping out to a 62-49 lead thanks to a 12-2 run over a span of five minutes.
A basket by Benson brought the Wolverines within 11 points with 5:06 left on the clock, but that was as close as U-M would get. Ohio State ended the game with a 12-3 surge to secure its 11th straight victory.
The Wolverines will return to the hardwood on Thursday (Feb. 16), when they travel to West Lafayette, Ind., to take on Purdue. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at Mackey Arena.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
