Michigan
16-11 (9-8)
Wisconsin
16-11 (9-8)
Michigan Lets One Slip Away Against Wisconsin
2/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: Wisconsin 69, Michigan 67
Records: U-M (16-11, 9-8 Big Ten), Wisconsin (16-11, 9-8 Big Ten)
Next Game: Sunday, March 2 -- vs. Minnesota (Crisler Arena), 2 p.m.
Boxscore | Postgame Notes | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team dropped a difficult 69-67 decision to Wisconsin Thursday evening (Feb. 28)at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines (16-11, 9-8 Big Ten) put together an outstanding first-half performance, holding a 20-point lead with just less than 15 minutes to play in the game, but the Badgers (16-11, 9-8 Big Ten) stormed back into contention due to a 33-12 run, and they were able to escape in the closing minutes thanks to crucial offensive rebounds and free throws.
The loss drops U-M into a three-way tie for sixth place with Wisconsin and Indiana in the Big Ten Conference standings, heading into U-M's regular-season finale against Minnesota Sunday (March 2).
Junior Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) led a quartet of double-digit scorers with a game-high 15 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes. Senior Janelle Cooper(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) poured in 13 points, a team-high eight rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes, while sophomore Krista Phillips(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) chipped in 13 points and five boards in 23 minutes. Junior Stephany Skrba(Toronto, Ontario/Langstaff Secondary School) tallied 11 points, four rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes off the bench.
The Wolverines immediately worked the ball inside to Phillips, who scored Michigan's first eight points of the game. After Jolene Anderson scored her first points of thecontest to cut the U-M lead to 8-6 at 14:09, the Maize and Blue put together a 9-0 run over a span of 3:28 to pull ahead 17-6. Minnfield spearheaded the run with a pair of hoops, while senior Krista Clement(St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) drained a long triple after chasing down an offensive rebound. Clement added another three-pointer to keep the Wolverine lead at 11 points, 20-9, with 9:12 remaining in the first half. Michigan connected on eight of its first 12 attempts from the field in the opening 11 minutes.
Minnfield then caught fire from outside, scoring nine of U-M's next 12 points fromdowntown to help extend the lead to 32-15 with 2:34 to play until halftime. Baskets from Skrba and Cooper in the closing minutes allowed the Wolverines to take a 36-18 advantage into the locker room.
Minnfield scored 13 first-half points to lead Michigan, which finished theperiod shooting 58 percent (14-of-24). U-M hit five of 10 attempts from three-point range in the first 20 minutes. The Badgers shot just 21 percent (6-of-29).
Cooper came out of the break and scored the teams first six points to push the lead to a game-high 20 points, 42-22, with 14:46 left on the clock. Wisconsin, however, found a rhythm and reeled off a 33-12 run to take its first lead of the night, 55-54, at 5:51.
A much-needed bucket from Phillips followed by a big triple from junior Carly Benson(Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) allowed Michigan to regain a 61-55 lead with 4:11 to play, but the Badgers continued to come up with the big shots down the stretch. With Wisconsin trailing 63-62, Anderson knocked down a three-pointer to put the Badgers in front 65-63 with 1:22 remaining.
Clement had an opportunity to tie the game from the free throw line, but she split the pair. Janese Banks misfired on a triple try on the ensuing possession, but Cooper threw the ball away on U-Ms next trip down the floor. Banks missed the backend of two free throws, but Mariah Dunham corralled the rebound and sank a pair from the line to give Wisconsin a 67-64 edge with 28 seconds left.
Benson stepped up and hit a huge triple from the corner to knot the score with 13 seconds remaining. Another Badger offensive board off a missed three-pointer from Banks resulted in a pair of Teah Gant free throws that gave Wisconsin a 69-67 lead with six seconds on the clock. Minnfield pushed the ball up the court and launched a three-pointer as time expired, but her attempt at the win was off the mark.
The Wolverines close out the regular season Sunday (March 2) with a 2 p.m. meeting againstthe GoldenGophersat Crisler Arena. Michigan will honor its four seniors, Clement, Cooper, Katie Dierdorf(St. Louis, Mo./Visitation Academy) and Ta'Shia Walker(Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) immediately following the game, which can be heard live on radio station WTKA (AM 1050).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
