Michigan
12-2, 1-0
Penn State
9-5, 0-1
Early Run, Flaherty's Torrent of Treys Put Away Penn State
12/28/2017 9:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan went on a 20-0 run in the first quarter and allowed just eight points to Penn State in the frame to lead by 21 after the first 10 minutes. Michigan led by as many as 27 points in the contest.
» Katelynn Flaherty hit 10 three-pointers to set a new school record en route to 33 points. It was the 12th 30-point game of her career.
» The Wolverines are 12-2 for the first time since the 2012-13 season. U-M has won eight straight games, the fourth-longest winning streak in school history.
» Head coach Kim Barnes Arico tied Sue Guevara for the most wins in school history, picking up her 123rd victory with the Wolverines.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #21 Michigan 89, Penn State 69
Records: U-M (12-2, 1-0 B1G), PSU (9-5, 0-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Dec. 31 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 3 p.m. CST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 21-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team used a 20-0 run in the first quarter and never trailed in the contest, knocking off Penn State, 89-69, in the Big Ten opener Thursday evening (Dec. 28) inside Crisler Center. It marked the eighth straight win for Michigan, the fourth-longest streak in school history.
Senior Katelynn Flaherty was dominant, hitting a school-record 10 three-pointers en route to 33 points to go with five assists and two rebounds. Junior Hallie Thome turned in her third double-double of the season, going for 21 points and 13 boards. Junior Nicole Munger chipped in 15 points while grabbing six rebounds, and senior Jillian Dunston recorded 11 boards, seven assists, a steal and a point in 36 minutes. Sophomore Kayla Robbins turned in eight points, scoring six of them in the final quarter. Michigan sank 13 three-pointers in the contest, the second-highest game total in school history.
Michigan went on a 20-0 run over 5:40 in the first quarter and took a 25-6 lead on layup from Thome at the 3:05 mark. Flaherty hit a pair of threes during the run, with Thome scoring nine and Munger five during the decisive stretch. U-M allowed just eight points in the first quarter, holding the Lady Lions to just three points over the final nine minutes.
The Wolverines led by as many as 27 points in the first half, with Thome scoring with three seconds left on the clock on an offensive rebound to send the Wolverines to the break with a commanding 50-23 lead.
Michigan's lead dipped below 20 just one time in the third quarter, but U-M scored six of the final eight points of the period to head to the fourth with a 70-47 advantage.
Penn State cut the Michigan lead to 14 points with 4:53 left in the contest, but Michigan answered with five straight points on a freshman Hailey Brown free throw line jumper and a corner triple from Flaherty to gain an 83-64 lead with 3:40 to go. The Wolverines held the Lady Lions to just five points over the final five minutes of the quarter, with Flaherty hitting her 10th three-pointer of the contest on Michigan's final possession to account for the final margin.
With the win, head coach Kim Barnes Arico tied former coach Sue Guevara for the most wins in school history with 123.
U-M will hit the road for the first time in Big Ten action on Sunday (Dec. 31), heading to Iowa to take on the No. 23-ranked Hawkeyes at 3 p.m. CST. The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.
Help Michigan "Crash Crisler" on Jan. 7 against Ohio State at noon. There will be pregame activities on the concourse and postgame autographs.
