
Michigan's Late Run Not Enough at No. 20 Iowa
1/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2015
Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena)
Score: #20 Iowa 76, Michigan 70
Records: U-M (12-6, 4-2 B1G), Iowa (15-3, 6-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Monday, Jan. 26 -- vs. Illinois (Crisler Center), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team made a late run and got within four points in the closing seconds but fell at No. 20 Iowa, 76-70, on Thursday night (Jan. 22) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Senior Cyesha Goree led the way for Michigan, recording a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Freshman Katelynn Flaherty scored 19 points off the bench, and sophomore Siera Thompson chipped in 10 points. Senior Nicole Elmblad just missed a double-double, finishing with nine points and 11 rebounds. Iowa shot 57.1 percent (32-for-56) from the floor, while U-M shot 46.8 percent (29-for-62). Michigan outrebounded the Hawkeyes, 37-25.
The Wolverines called timeout at the 14:17 mark after Iowa hit its second three-pointer of the game to take a 14-4 lead. Thompson and Flaherty combined to score eight of the game's next 10 points, allowing Michigan to cut the Iowa lead to four, 16-12, with 11:46 left before the half.
Iowa pushed its lead back to eight points, 34-26, with 2:16 to go before the half, but Michigan scored six of the last eight points of the half.
Flaherty scored with two seconds remaining before the half, and Thompson had a look a three after an Iowa turnover that was just short as Iowa hit the break with a 36-32 lead. Goree led the way offensively for Michigan, going for 10 points and six rebounds in the first 20 minutes of action. Flaherty came off the bench to score eight points, with Thompson and Elmblad each scoring four points in the first half. Iowa shot 60.0 percent (15-for-25) from the floor in the first half, compared to 48.5 percent (16-for-33) for the Wolverines. Michigan outrebounded the Hawkeyes, 18-11, and forced Iowa into nine turnovers in the frame.
Iowa opened the second half on a 10-2 run, forcing a Michigan timeout with 16:52 on the clock and the Wolverines trailing, 46-34.
Michigan cut the lead to 10, 53-43, with 11:03 left on a Goree layup. The Hawkeyes scored seven of the next nine points to regain a 15-point lead, 60-45, with 9:51 to go. The teams picked up the pace from there as another Goree layup at the 7:32 mark cut the Iowa lead to back to 11, 64-53, with Michigan calling timeout. Flaherty scored out of the timeout as U-M got within single digits, 64-55, at the 6:44 mark.
Goree scored to get within seven, 64-57, with 5:58 left. The teams traded two-point baskets and then triples as the Iowa lead stayed at seven points, 71-64, before Flaherty canned a baseline triple at the 2:41 mark. Goree hit a pair of free throws with 1:46 on the clock to pull Michigan within five, 71-66.
Michigan stopped Iowa on consecutive possessions, but turned it over once and Flaherty's triple rimmed out as the Iowa lead stayed at five points, 71-66, with 46 ticks left.
The Maize and Blue got within four points, 74-70, on a Thompson triple with nine seconds left, but Iowa made good on its final two free throws to provide the six-point margin.
The teams each made one free throw on successive possessions as the lead still stayed at five points for Iowa.
Michigan returns home on Monday (Jan. 26) to host Illinois at 7 p.m. at Crisler Center. The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network. [ Tickets ]