Michigan
4-1
Washington State
4-2
Fast Start Propels Michigan Past Washington State in Puerto Rico
11/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2014
Site: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (Mario Morales Coliseum)
Event: San Juan Shootout
Score: Michigan 76, Washington State 64
Records: U-M (4-1), WSU (4-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 29 -- vs. San Diego State (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), 1 p.m. AST
GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team jumped out to a 15-0 lead to start the game and led wire-to-wire in a 76-64 win over Washington State on Friday (Nov. 28) at Mario Morales Coliseum.
Michigan had four players score in double figures, led by senior Shannon Smith's 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Sophomore Siera Thompson went for 13 points and four rebounds, senior Cyesha Goree recorded 15 points and eight rebounds, and senior Nicole Elmblad scored 10 points with five rebounds. The Wolverines shot 45.0 percent (27-for-60) from the floor and outrebounded the Cougars, 40-37. Michigan also held a major advantage in the paint, outscoring WSU, 32-16.
Michigan shot out to an 8-0 lead after an Elmblad short-corner jumper from Smith to force a WSU timeout just 2:22 into the contest. The Wolverines did not let up from there, scoring on a Goree fastbreak layup, a Ristovski triple and a Smith layup in transition for a 15-0 lead with 15:42 remaining in the half.
The Cougars finally got on the board with a free throw at the 15:20 mark, but Michigan scored on its next two possessions to push its lead to 18 (19-1) with 14:30 showing on the first-half clock. The Wolverines led by as many as 19 in the first stanza.
Michigan hit the break with a 44-28 lead thanks to a freshman Jillian Dunston steal and three-point play with 5.5 seconds remaining. U-M shot 50.0 percent (18-for-36) from the floor in the half, compared to 34.6 percent (9-for-26) for the Cougars. Smith led the way offensively for the Wolverines with 12 points and four assists, while Goree went for 11 points and six rebounds. Michigan scored 18 points off 10 WSU turnovers and outscored the Cougars, 22-6, in the paint.
WSU cut Michigan's lead to 12 points with 15:36 remaining in the game, but Michigan scored five straight points from Thompson and Smith to push its cushion back to 17, 53-36, with 12:56 showing on the clock.
The Wolverine lead never dipped below 13 in the second half until WSU hit a triple with 2:40 remaining to cut Michigan's advantage to 10 (68-58). Elmblad laid one off the glass on the ensuing U-M possession and freshman Katelynn Flaherty canned a pair of free throws, upping the Maize and Blue lead to 14 points with 1:22 left. The Cougars cut it to 10 points twice more, but Elmblad made another layup and Ristovski hit a pair of free throws to seal the 12-point victory.
Michigan will complete San Juan Shootout action on Saturday (Nov. 29) against San Diego State at 1 p.m. AST (noon EST).
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre (734) 763-4423
