Michigan Unable to Hold Late Lead Against Badgers

Thursday, January 11

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

8-10, 1-4Big Te

Wisconsin

13-4, 2-2Big Te

Wisconsin

Michigan

1/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team fell just shy of its second straight Big Ten Conference victory Thursday night (Jan. 11) dropping a 62-59 decision to Wisconsin at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines (8-10, 1-4 Big Ten) erased a 13-point deficit in the first half and went up by as many six points with four minutes to play, but the Badgers (13-4, 2-2 Big Ten) closed out the game with a 13-4 run to escape with the victory.

Freshman Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) led a balanced offensive attack with a game-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting. She also hit her only three-point attempt and made all but one of her six free throw tries. Sophomore Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) came up big off the bench finishing with a season-best 12 points -- including a pair of triples -- in 20 minutes. In her second career start, freshman Kalyn McPherson (Traverse City, Mich./West HS) tallied nine points off a career-high three triples to go along with three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Sophomore Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) chipped in eight points and three boards, while classmate Melinda Queen (Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) contributed seven points and four rebounds.

Phillips displayed her range in the opening minutes of the game, hitting a long two from the top for Michigan's first points before canning her second career triple as the shot clock wound down to help the Wolverines gain a 5-2 lead with 17:47 left in the first half.

Benson went on to score U-M's next four points from down low, while McPherson connected on a wide-open triple to put the Maize and Blue ahead 12-10 at 13:54.

The Badgers reeled off 15 unanswered points over a span of 3:25 to take a 25-12 lead with 10:07 remaining until halftime. Wisconsin hit nine of its first 12 shots in the game en route to building the 13-point lead.

A Phillips bucket at 9:49 broke a 4:05 U-M scoring drought and cut the Wisconsin lead to nine points. The basket was the start of a 10-0 run over the next 3:51 of play that brought Michigan within three points of the Badger lead 25-22 with 5:58 to go until the break. The run was highlighted by a three-point play from Phillips and a triple by Queen.

Minnfield came off the bench and scored the team's next four points to keep Wisconsin's lead at just two points 28-26 at 3:28. U-M's remaining points of the first half came courtesy of Phillips, who converted another three-point play with 55 seconds left. The Badgers were able to take a 34-29 advantage into the locker room thanks to their ability to get to the foul line, as they scored six of their final nine points of the half on free throws.

Phillips paced the Wolverine offensive effort in the first frame, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Wisconsin shot 50 percent in the first half (10-of-20) and was led by Jolene Anderson's nine points.

Four different players scored for U-M to open the second half, with Walker's two free throws at 13:42 tying the game at 37-37. The Wolverines then took their first lead since early in the first half 40-39 on a McPherson triple at 12:58.

U-M extended its lead to as many six points (55-49) over the next 8:58, as McPherson's three-pointer marked the beginning of an 18-10 run. Six different Wolverines recorded points during the surge, with McPherson and Minnfield combining for 11 of the points. The Michigan defense held Wisconsin to just one field goal for 9:38 until Anderson hit a shot to cut U-M's lead to 55-51 at 3:39.

The Wolverines finished the game shooting 1-of-5 from the field, while the Badgers scored seven of their final 11 points from the free throw line. With Wisconsin holding a 58-56 edge, McPherson's driving basket with 11 seconds left was off the mark. Two Badger free throws on the ensuing possession extended the lead to four points before Minnfield quickly brought the ball up the floor and drilled a three to cut the lead to 60-59 with three ticks on the clock. A quick U-M foul and two Wisconsin free throws made the score 62-59, and the Badgers stole the inbounding pass to run out the clock.

The Wolverines travel to State College, Pa., for a meeting with Penn State on Sunday (Jan. 14). The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip at the Bryce Jordan Center with radio coverage by WTKA (AM 1050).

Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423