Michigan
9-5 (2-2)
Purdue
7-8 (3-1)
Michigan Falls Just Short of Boilermakers in Road Loss
1/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: West Lafayette, Ind. (Mackey Arena)
Score: Purdue 56, Michigan 51
Records: U-M (9-5, 2-2 Big Ten), Purdue (7-8, 3-1 Big Ten)
Next Game: Sunday, Jan. 13 -- vs. Michigan State (Crisler Arena), 12:06 p.m., Big Ten Network
Boxscore | Postgame Notes
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 56-51 loss to Purdue Thursday evening (Jan. 10) in front of 8,805 fansat Mackey Arena. The Wolverines (9-5, 2-2 Big Ten) put forth a gutsy effort and held a one-point lead with under two minutes to play, but the Boilermakers (7-8, 3-1 Big Ten) scored the game's final six points to escape with the victory.
Junior Carly Benson(Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) led the Michigan attack with a game-high 17 points and a team-best eight rebounds. Sophomore Krista Phillips(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) chipped in 13 points and five boards, while senior Krista Clement(St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) scored all eight of her points late in the game in addition to finishing with six rebounds and three assists.
The opening two minutes of action saw the Wolverines miss their first three shots and commit three turnovers, but a Benson triple at 17:56 ignited a 10-2 run that put Michigan on top 10-4 with 13:33 remaining in the first half. Senior Janelle Cooper(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) also connected from long range during the surge, and baskets inside from Phillips and junior Stephany Skrba(Toronto, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) completed the eight-point swing.
The Boilermakers answered with an 11-0 run to regain a 15-10 advantage at 9:58. Phillips provided U-M with a much-needed triple, which broke a 3:52 scoring drought and cut the deficit back down to just two points. A pull-up jumper from junior Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) in transition tied the score at 15-15 with 8:37 to go until the break.
Another three-pointer by Benson and a nifty hook in the lane from junior Melinda Queen(Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) helped the Wolverines keep a 22-19 edge at 3:21, but Purdue scored five of the final seven points of the first half to send the teams into the locker room tied at 24-24.
Purdue opened the second half with a quick triple, but back-to-back buckets from Cooper and Benson allowed U-M to regain a 28-27 lead at 18:53. Six unanswered points by the Boilermakers put Purdue up 33-28, but Benson scored four straight points in transition to trim the deficit to 33-32 with 14 minutes left in the game.
With Michigan trailing 37-32, Clement stepped up and drained a big triple at 11:51. The two teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, as the Boilermakers sustained a 40-39 edge with 9:15 to go on the clock.
Purdue struck back once again, scoring four straight points to extend its lead to 44-39. Benson answered, banking in a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to cut the Boilermaker lead to 44-42 with 7:17 remaining.
The Wolverines found themselves down 48-42 after four straight Purdue points, but Clement hit another crucial triple and followed with a lay-up to bring U-M to within one point, 48-47. A drive and scoop from Phillips gave Michigan a 49-48 edge at 4:18.
With U-M down 50-49, Phillips knocked down a soft jumper to push the Wolverines back into the lead. Kalika France's put-back gave the Boilermakers a one-point lead with 1:14 left, and FahKara Malone added a pair of free throws to make it 54-51 with 22 seconds left. The Wolverines were unable to get off a three-point attempt on the ensuing possession, and the Boilermakers sealed the game with a pair of free throws.
Michigan will host intrastate rival Michigan State Sunday (Jan. 13)at Crisler Arena. The game is scheduled for a 12:06 p.m. tip and will be televised by the Big Ten Network and broadcast by radio station WTKA (AM 1050).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
