Barnes Arico After Tough U-M Loss: 'Champions are Those Who Can Push Through'
1/12/2020 5:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The challenge now for University of Michigan women's basketball head coach Kim Barnes Arico and her team is to grow from a defeat that stung.
No. 17-ranked Maryland (12-4, 3-2 Big Ten) put a 77-49 loss on the No. 24 Wolverines (11-5, 2-3 Big Ten) on Sunday (Jan. 12) at Crisler Center. Michigan had 14 of its 22 turnovers in the first half, shot .339 from the field and never could get on track against a very physical Terrapin team.
So, how did Barnes Arico approach the loss with her team in order to stoke the need for improvement?
"I think that's really important," she said, "and it's something we talked about in the locker room. It's funny, but a week ago we were on such a high after having such a great (89-69) win against Michigan State here. But that's kind of the life we lead, and those are the obstacles that you have to overcome.
"One of the important things we talked in the locker room about last Sunday and today was don't get too high or don't get too low. Don't let today knock you out of the water, and after last week's win, don't be on top of the world thinking that we're national champs. 'Stay the course and really buy into the process of trying to get better every day.'
"Today was a tough one, and we haven't had one like this in a long time. All our games this year have been really competitive, and this was a hard one. So just trying to move on from this, trying to learn from this, and stay positive and grow from this. We've had a tough stretch, too. ... But we're not going to make any excuses. We've got to grow from it and learn from it."
Barnes Arico
In the last three weeks, the Wolverines have lost at No. 8 Florida State and at Ohio State in addition to two losses against Maryland and a pair of home victories over Penn State and the Spartans.
Michigan had lost only one other game by more than 10 points, and that was 70-55 at Maryland two weeks ago.
However, it would be wrong to think that such scoring differences can't be overcome. Michigan lost its only regular-season game against the Terps last year on the road by 14 points, and then nearly upset Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament, falling, 73-72, in a heartbreaker.
Barnes Arico believed coming so close to the Terps last year contributed to her team pressing Sunday.
"They really felt like this was an opportunity to get them back," said Barnes Arico. "We know the significance of it and we wanted to get Maryland back. We came in trying to do that, and I think that made us turn the basketball over a lot early. ... Part of that is why we pressed so hard early on and were having so many turnovers. I mean, Kayla Robbins, a senior with her last chance to play Maryland, where she's from, and she wanted to do so well so badly that she was really pressing.
"So we talked about in that moment when you're so disappointed, you're so angry, reflect, and everybody take a chance to look at what you can do better tonight and tomorrow, and then come back to work, and, 'OK, what can each of us do to be a little bit better and our team be a little bit better? So, much of it's mental as it is physical, and you know Naz Hillmon, Kayla Robbins and Amy Dilk are better than turning the basketball over that many times. So, it's just something we're going to continue to work on every single day."
From left: Dilk, Robbins and Hillmon
Hillmon (15 points, five rebounds), Robbins (11 points eight rebounds and three steals) and Dilk (two points, five rebounds) combined for 19 turnovers. They also were Michigan's top-three rebounders, keeping it close on the boards, where the Terps had a 39-34 edge.
Guard Akienreh Johnson (seven points) was asked how she would approach her teammates along with fellow senior co-captain Robbins to assure growth from the Maryland game.
"We have a 24-hour rule," said Johnson. "After either a good game or a bad game, you don't say anything for a day. You don't want to say something too high or too low, and as a senior right now you have to hold everyone's heads up and make sure they're not getting too down on themselves. You have to push them that much harder so games like this don't happen again."
Barnes Arico added, "In the moment, you are going to react, and everyone was deflated. Everybody was disappointed, and everybody was a little bit frustrated. Our kids are tremendous kids and they just wanted this game so badly."
Michigan missed two-thirds of its 56 shots and was only 2-for-10 on three-pointers and 9-for-15 on free throws. It had plenty of good looks and open shots, but still missed many of them.
Johnson said, "During the game, we've just got to say, 'Next shot. That was a good look, a good shot, but just onto the next play.' Our team really takes pride in its defense, and when we couldn't get that going it really messed up the offense. That took away from our confidence, but we've got a perfect chance to get back in the gym and get your confidence back."
Barnes Arico pointed out both the challenge and reward of playing in the tough Big Ten, noting that "they're talking about 10 teams being in the NCAA Tournament" come March.
Hillmon was coming off back-to-back double-doubles with a combined 45 points and 27 rebounds against the arch-rival Spartans and Buckeyes, and Dilk had scored in double-figures in four of the last five games. Robbins had 17 points and six rebounds at OSU.
So, they're more than capable. Now, they have to get better from a disappointing loss.
"The champions are those who can push through," said Barnes Arico. "You've got to continue to persevere. You've got to continue to fight. Every night is going to be a challenge."
