Michigan
19-6, 8-4
Rutgers
18-7, 6-5
Wolverines Drop Low-Scoring Affair at Rutgers
2/4/2018 4:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» After trailing by 11 points in the third quarter, Michigan closed within a point (48-47) with 6:44 left but Rutgers banked in a three-pointer on its next possession to regain control of the game.
» Michigan had three players in double figures in Katelynn Flaherty (19), Hailey Brown (15) and Hallie Thome (12).
» Michigan outrebounded Rutgers, 33-26, and shot 44.0 percent from the floor but turned the ball over 26 times in the contest, leading to 29 points for the Scarlet Knights.
Site: Piscataway, N.J. (The RAC)
Score: Rutgers 63, #13 Michigan 56
Records: U-M (19-6, 8-4 B1G), RU (18-7, 6-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, Feb. 8 -- vs. Northwestern (Crisler Center), 7 p.m.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team closed within a point, 48-47, with 6:44 left in the game, but Rutgers banked in a three-pointer on its next possession to regain control, defeating the Wolverines, 63-56, on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 4) at the RAC.
Senior Katelynn Flaherty scored a game-high 19 points on 7-for-15 shooting, while freshman Hailey Brown went for 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Junior Hallie Thome rounded out Michigan's double-figure scorers, turning in 12 points and six boards in 39 minutes. Michigan shot 44.0 percent (22-for-50) from the floor and outrebounded Rutgers, 33-26, but was done in by 26 turnovers that led to 29 points for the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers ended the first quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 15-7 lead into the second quarter. Michigan committed eight turnovers in the opening 10 minutes, leading to eight points for the Scarlet Knights.
Michigan scored six straight to open the second quarter, closing the gap to two, 15-13. Michigan forced a shot clock violation on the defensive end on Rutgers' next possession, with Flaherty cashing in on a pair at the line with 6:37 left to tie the game at 15.
Michigan once again tied the game at 21 on a long jumper from senior Jillian Dunston at the top of the key with 1:08 left before the half, but Rutgers answered with seven straight points -- including a 27-foot buzzer beater -- to take a 28-21 lead into the locker room. U-M committed 14 turnovers in the opening half, leading to 14 Rutgers points. Flaherty had six points in the half, with Brown going for five.
Rutgers scored the first four points of the third quarter, extending its lead to 11, 32-21, just over a minute into the period. Michigan slowly chipped away, getting within three points on a Flaherty triple with 4:06 left in the quarter. The Scarlet Knights came back with four straight points, but Brown made good on a triple and Thome scored with less than a minute remaining in the quarter to get Michigan back within five, 45-40.
Michigan and Rutgers exchanged three-pointers to start the fourth quarter before Brown found Thome underneath for two, bringing Michigan back within three (48-45) with 7:18 left. Brown once again got Thome for the layup underneath on the next possession, but Rutgers banked in a three the next time down to push its lead back to four with 6:16 to go.
U-M did not score again until Thome hit one at the line with 1:22 left, as Rutgers extended its lead from four to 12 during the span. Michigan scored eight points over the final 44 seconds, getting four points from junior Nicole Munger and four from Flaherty to provide the final seven-point margin.
Michigan will be back in home action on Thursday (Feb. 8), when they host Northwestern at 7 p.m.
