Michigan
Syracuse
Wolverines to Host Syracuse in Big Ten/ACC Challenge
12/3/2019 2:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan is in the midst of a four-game homestand, staying at Crisler Center to host Syracuse as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. It is the first time the teams have met since the 2010 WNIT.
» U-M is second all-time in the Big Ten in Challenge wins with eight and is looking for its first win in the event since 2016.
» The game can be seen on ESPN, Michigan's first televised contest of the season.
THIS WEEK
Thursday, Dec. 5 -- vs. Syracuse (Crisler Center), 9 p.m.
TV: ESPN | Tickets | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
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PROMOTIONS
• Dec. 5: Free youth admission - anyone under 18 admitted free; Workweek Hustle - Get a general admission game ticket, hot dog and drink for just $6.
• Full Promotions Schedule
The No. 24-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team returns to action Thursday (Dec. 5), when it hosts Syracuse as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Crisler Center. The game is set for 9 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
• Sophomore Naz Hillmon picked up where she left off after a freshman campaign in which she earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year and All-Big Ten first-team honors. Slotted into the starting lineup for the first time in her Michigan career, Hillmon is averaging 15.4 points and 9.1 rebounds in 30.9 minutes per game. She is shooting 61.2 percent, keeping her career average at 62.5 percent. Hillmon is seventh in the Big Ten in scoring, third in rebounding, fourth in field goal percentage, second in offensive rebounding (3.9) and seventh in defensive rebounding (5.3). She has scored in double figures in all but one game, while reaching double digits in rebounding three times.
• Michigan's defense has stepped up the last two games, allowing just 43.0 points per game on 28.2 percent shooting to Eastern Michigan and Morgan State. U-M surrendered just 38 points to EMU, ranking as the 13th-best defensive effort in program history. U-M has kept its opponent in single digits in five of the last eight quarters, keeping Eastern under 10 points in three quarters and Morgan State under 10 in two. For the season, Michigan's defense is allowing 56.9 points per game (seventh in the Big Ten) on 35.1 percent shooting (third in the Big Ten).
• Michigan has been effective on the glass in the early going, averaging 43.7 boards per game with a +13.0 margin to lead the Big Ten and rank ninth nationally. U-M also paces the Big Ten in rebounding defense, allowing just 30.7 rebounds per game to its opponents. Naz Hillmon is third in the conference in rebounding (9.1 rpg), with Kayla Robbins coming in 20th at 6.0 rebounds per game. Hillmon is second in the league in offensive rebounds (3.9) and seventh in defensive rebounds (5.9).
• Michigan's bench has been particularly impressive in the last two wins, scoring 29 points at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 27) and pouring in 32 points against Morgan State (Dec. 1). Freshman Izabel Varejão led the way against EMU, going for 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Her classmate, Michelle Sidor, turned in a career-best 16 points against Morgan State. Sidor hit four of five from long distance en route to the second double-figure scoring game of her career. On the season, Michigan's bench is accounting for 32 percent of the scoring. U-M brings three players off the bench who are averaging at least 5.8 points per game in Sidor (7.9 ppg in 18.7 minutes per game), Varejao (7.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg in 16.9 minutes per game) and sophomore Emily Kiser (5.8 ppg in 12.6 minutes per game).
• U-M is 8-4 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge after dropping its last two contests to top-15 teams. The Wolverines are second in the Big Ten in Challenge wins with eight since its inception in 2007. Maryland leads the way with an 11-1 record, but seven of those wins came as an ACC school.
• Syracuse (4-3) is coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Greater Victoria Invitational with a win over Houston and losses to Stanford and Green Bay. The Orange are averaging 69.9 points per game on 37.6 percent shooting while allowing 65.1 points per contest on 37.0 percent shooting. Syracuse features a trio of double-figure scorers in Kiara Lewis (15.9 ppg), Emily Engstler (10.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg) and Digna Strautmane (10.0 ppg). Michigan leads the all-time series against Syracuse, 4-0.
