Michigan
8-13, 1-7
Wisconsin
15-6, 4-4
Wolverines Overtaken by Badgers' Strong Second Half
1/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team put up another solid effort against Wisconsin Thursday night (Jan. 25) at the Kohl Center, but the Badgers pulled out a 73-60 victory for their second tight-knit win over the Wolverines in two weeks. U-M (8-13, 1-7 Big Ten) took a four-point lead into halftime, but Wisconsin (15-6, 4-4 Big Ten) used a 15-2 run in the opening minutes of the second frame to build a nine-point lead that it would never relinquish.
Junior Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) put together one of her finest performances of the season, finishing with a season-high 19 points and a career-best tying eight rebounds in 40 minutes. Sophomore Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeu Public School) matched a season-best with 13 points to go along with three steals, while freshman Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) chipped in 10 points, six rebounds and a game-high five blocks. Freshman LeQuisha Whitfield (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) scored six of her nine points in the second half to help U-M stay in contention.
The Badgers took a 4-0 lead just 1:32 in the contest, but the Wolverines answered with a 12-0 run over the next 4:42 to build their biggest lead of the game at eight points. Benson, Phillips and Cooper each scored four points during the surge. Michigan was particularly successful with its execution in the post early on, as nice lob passes from sophomore Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) and Cooper resulted in a pair of easy baskets by Phillips. The U-M defense held the Badgers scoreless for a period of 6:17 while building its early 12-4 advantage.
A layup by Jolene Anderson at 12:11 broke the Wisconsin scoring drought and cut the Wolverine lead to six, but Benson scored Michigan's next four points on a long jumper and a bucket inside off a pretty pass from senior Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS). The result was a 16-8 U-M lead with 10:55 left in the first half.
Wisconsin responded with a 12-0 run over the next 2:29 to reclaim a 20-16 edge. A hoop in transition by freshman Kalyn McPherson (Traverse City, Mich./West HS) snapped a 3:35 U-M scoring drought and brought the Wolverines within two points. The Maize and Blue scored its next nine points from behind the arc, with Cooper drilling back-to-back triples before Whitfield's trey at 4:44 propelled Michigan to a 27-22 lead.
Phillips kept the momentum in U-M's favor heading into halftime, as she hit a pair of free throws and her third career triple to help the Wolverines take a 32-28 advantage into the break.
Cooper, Phillips and Benson combined to score all but five of Michigan's 32 first-half points. Both teams nearly put up identical numbers from the floor, with the Wolverines shooting 12-of-30 and the Badgers going 11-of-28. The difference in the first half was U-M's accuracy from long range, as the team shot 4-of-8 compared to Wisconsin's 1-of-7.
The Badgers opened the second half with a 15-2 run to take back a 43-34 lead with 14:02 remaining in the game. A tough layup by Whitfield as she was fouled was Michigan's first basket in 3:37, and the ensuing free throw trimmed the Wisconsin lead to 43-37. The Wolverines found themselves down just three points (46-43) with 9:55 remaining after Cooper scored five straight points on a triple from the top and a one-one-one layup on the break.
Cooper continued to play big minutes for Michigan, hitting a pair of free throws at 6:30 to keep the Badger lead at 51-48. The Wolverines, however, could not break through and regain the lead. Wisconsin used a quick 8-0 run to build its lead to 11 points at 59-48 with 4:31 to play.
A Benson triple at 4:10 broke a 3:31 U-M field-goal drought and brought the Wolverines within eight points, but that would be as close as the Maize and Blue would come in the remaining minutes. Despite its constant hustle Michigan could not come up with one final push, and Wisconsin was able to sustain a double-digit cushion in the final stages of the game.
The Wolverines return home to Crisler Arena to host Indiana on Sunday (Jan. 28) at 2:05 p.m. The game will be televised by Comcast Local and can be heard live over the radio on both WTKA (AM 1050) and WWJ (AM 950).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
