Michigan
21-11
Maryland
28-3
Michigan Drops Heartbreaker to No. 8 Maryland in Big Ten Tourney Semifinals
3/9/2019 8:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Trailing Maryland by one point with 10.4 seconds left, Michigan had a shot blocked on its initial attempt, got the ball back with 1.4 seconds left but did not get another shot off.
» Michigan entered the fourth quarter down by nine points and outscored Maryland, 16-8, in the final period.
» Nicole Munger paced the Wolverines with 20 points, Naz Hillmon had 16 points and Hailey Brown turned in 14.
» It was Michigan's first semifinal appearance since 2001.
Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Banker's Life Fieldhouse)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Semifinals)
Score: #8 Maryland 73, Michigan 72
Records: U-M (21-10), Maryland (27-3)
Next U-M Event: Monday, March 18 -- NCAA Selection Show, 7 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team stormed back from a nine-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to take a one-point lead with 21 seconds left, but No. 8-ranked Maryland made a pair of free throws with 10.3 seconds left, knocking off Michigan, 73-72, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday (March 9) at Banker's Life Fieldhouse.
U-M was down by nine points entering the fourth quarter but slowly chipped away at the Maryland lead. Freshman Naz Hillmon brought the Wolverines back within two, 69-67, after making a pair at the line with 2:33 to go. Senior Nicole Munger hit her fifth triple of the game with 1:09 to go, putting Michigan on top by one point.
Maryland answered with a jumper, giving Michigan the ball back with 50 seconds left. Michigan's initial shot was blocked, but Hillmon gobbled up the rebound and laid it off the glass to regain a one-point advantage, 72-71, with 21 seconds to go.
The Terps were forced to call timeout to save possession with 10.3 seconds left. Michigan was whistled for a foul on the inbounds attempt, with UMD hitting both for a one-point lead.
U-M's first shot of the next possession was blocked out of bounds, giving U-M the ball under the basket with 1.4 ticks left in regulation. Michigan could not get a shot off on the ensuing play, giving Maryland the one-point win.
Munger led the way with 20 points, Hillmon turned in 16 points and five boards and sophomore Hailey Brown hitting four triples en route to 14 points. Freshman Amy Dilk dished out a career-best 11 assists to go with eight points.
Michigan trailed by one, 23-21 after the first quarter of action. Maryland opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run, taking an eight-point lead just minutes into the period.
Michigan ended the second quarter on a 6-0 run for a 40-37 lead at the half. Brown led the Wolverines with 11 points, with Munger chipping in eight. Michigan forced Maryland into nine turnovers, resulting in 13 points.
Brown and Deja Church hit triples on Michigan's first two possessions of the third quarter, but Maryland answered each with a three-point play. Maryland regained a 48-46 lead with a triple, but Munger hit a pair of free throws to knot the contest at 48 with 7:10 left in the period.
Maryland scored five straight points, resulting in a Michigan timeout with 6:09 to go in the third and the Terps holding a 53-48 lead.
Dilk found Hillmon for a layup to break the spell for U-M, bringing the Maize and Blue back within three at the 4:54 mark.
Maryland ended the quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 65-56 lead through three quarters.
Michigan will now await its postseason selection with a 21-11 record, including a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten. The NCAA Selection Show will air on Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m.
