Michigan
Iowa
Church, Johnson and Robbins Heat Up Offense in Upset of No. 13 Iowa
2/1/2019 2:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Deja Church (19 points), Akienreh Johnson (19) and Kayla Robbins (13) tied career scoring highs to lead Michigan.
» The Wolverines owned a 44-23 edge on the glass, holding Iowa to 14 rebounds below its season average. U-M had more offensive rebounds (24) than Iowa had total rebounds (23).
» Michigan got a productive effort from its bench, as Johnson, Robbins and Naz Hillmon combined for 40 points and 19 rebounds.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: Michigan 90, #13 Iowa 81
Records: U-M (13-9, 4-6 B1G), Iowa (16-5, 7-3 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 3 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 2 p.m. CST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Led by 19-point efforts from sophomore Deja Church and junior Akienreh Johnson, the University of Michigan women's basketball team got back in the win column with a 90-81 victory over No. 13 Iowa on Friday afternoon (Feb. 1) at Crisler Center. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday night but was postponed due to frigid weather that closed the university for two days.
The Wolverines were able to avenge their loss to Iowa from two weeks ago by flipping the script on the glass, holding a 44-23 edge in rebounding. The Hawkeyes average 37.7 rebounds per game and had exactly 37 in the teams' first meeting on Jan. 17, but the Wolverines dominated on Friday, especially on the offensive end. Michigan grabbed 24 offensive rebounds -- its second-highest total of the season (26 vs. LIU Brooklyn on Dec. 6) -- which led to 25 second-chance points.
The bench also played a huge factor, as the trio of Johnson, junior Kayla Robbins and freshman Naz Hillmon combined for 40 points and 19 rebounds. The duo of Johnson and Robbins (13 points) combined for just six points in the two teams' first meeting but had 32 on Friday. The point totals for Church, Johnson and Robbins matched the career high for each.
Senior Hallie Thome added 12 points, while senior Nicole Munger, who exited the team's game last Sunday vs. Michigan State after just six minutes, returned to the starting lineup and scored eight points in 35 minutes.
The Wolverines were active out of the gate, led by Church, who had seven of the team's first nine points. Following that initial spurt, she assisted to Munger for a corner three-pointer to give Michigan a 12-5 lead. U-M was up 16-7 at the first media timeout after starting 7-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 4-for-4 mark from Church.
Michigan went on an 8-0 run to end the first quarter, fueled by a three-pointer from Munger, a follow-up off an offensive rebound from Thome, and a corner three-pointer from Johnson as time expired. The Wolverines held Iowa scoreless over the final 2:37 of the quarter.
After U-M went up 29-17 off a free throw split from Johnson, the visitors made their own push, going on a 13-0 run beginning with a shot clock-beating three-pointer from Kathleen Doyle. The Wolverines stopped the run with an offensive rebound and putback from Hillmon. Church continued to attack, getting her own offensive rebound and putback to give U-M a 33-32 lead with 3:55 left, and she followed that up with an aggressive drive to the lane for two more. The Wolverines led 39-36 at halftime.
Michigan went right to Thome coming out of the locker room at halftime, establishing the post with three consecutive buckets to open the third quarter. The two teams spent the opening minutes before the media timeout trading baskets, as Iowa was 6-for-7 from the field to start, while U-M was 7-of-10. But then the Wolverines went on a 7-0 run to go back up 60-50 with 2:33 left in the quarter, forcing an Iowa timeout. That run was fueled by Johnson and Robbins, who combined for 18 of the team's 29 points in the quarter. U-M led 68-57 going to the fourth.
The Hawkeyes made one final effort to get back in the game, getting to within six (74-68) with 7:19 left, but two free throws by Hillmon and another offensive rebound and putback from Johnson pushed U-M's lead back to 10. The Wolverines hit their free throws (8-of-10 in the final quarter) and secured the ball (only one turnover) to seal the win.
The Wolverines will be back in action Sunday (Feb. 3) at Wisconsin. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST.
