Wolverines' Wild Comeback Falls Short at Northwestern

Thursday, February 5

Evanston, Ill.

7:00 PM CT

Michigan

10-13, 3-9

Northwestern

6-17, 2-10

MICHIGAN

Northwestern

Wolverines' Wild Comeback Falls Short at Northwestern

2/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Site: Evanston, Ill. (Welsh-Ryan Arena)
Score: Northwestern 60, Michigan 57
Records: Michigan (10-13, 3-9 Big Ten), Northwestern (6-17, 2-10 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Monday, Feb. 9 -- vs. Penn State (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.

Boxscore | Postgame Notes

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team came back from a 17-point first-half deficit and had a chance to send the game into overtime down by three as the final second ticked away but could not find the bottom of the net on its final shot and fell to Northwestern, 60-57, on Thursday night (Feb. 5) in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The Wolverines had two players in double figures, led by 12 points from senior Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic). Senior Carly Benson(Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) was also in double digits with 10 points, while junior Krista Phillips(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate) tallied a game-high nine rebounds.

Michigan continued to chip away at the lead coming out of the break and took its first lead of the game, 33-31, at the 16:12 mark of the second stanza on a jumper by Minnfield. However, Northwestern did not go away and, with eight unanswered points, took a 39-33 lead. Michigan countered with a 5-2 run to cut the lead to 41-38 with 11:37 remaining.

After the teams traded buckets and with Northwestern holding a 54-50 lead, back-to-back buckets from Benson, including a three-pointer from the left side, pulled U-M within one point, 56-55. The Wolverines kept it close down the stretch, and after a Benson rebound with two seconds remaining and U-M down 60-57, Michigan's last-second effort fell short.

The first half started out as a defensive affair with both teams coming up with several early steals. The Wildcats took an early 7-2 advantage behind a three-pointer from Brittany Orban, but Michigan was able to counter with the completion of a three-point play from senior Melinda Queen (Oak Forest, Ill/Carl Sandburg), cutting the deficit to 7-5.

Northwestern then turned its two-point lead at the 15:53 into a 17-point advantage with a 15-0 run, stretching the U-M deficit to 22-5 at the 11:24 mark. The Wildcats extended their lead to 29-14 before the Wolverines found their offense late in the first stanza and, with a 12-0 run over the final four minutes of the half, cut a 17-point Northwestern lead to 29-26 at the break.

The Wildcats, who were at one point shooting 60 percent from the field, ended the half at 54.5 percent from the floor on 12-of-22 shooting, while the Wolverines shot 37.9 percent from the floor. Northwestern also held a 19-10 advantage on the boards.

Michigan returns to the hardwood on Monday (Feb. 9) when it takes on Penn State in a nationally-televised game on the Big Ten Network. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Crisler Arena. Fans can catch the game on WTKA AM 1050 with Matt Park and Nick Brandon on the call.

Contact: Jessica Poole (734) 763-4423