Michigan
21-10,10-8Big Ten
Northwestern
26-4,16-2Big Ten
Michigan Advances to B1G Tourney Semifinals with Win over No. 11 Wildcats
3/6/2020 9:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» No. 7 seed Michigan was the first team in 11 years to defeat a No. 2 seed at the Big Ten Tournament.
» Michigan shot 46 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent from beyond the arc.
» Naz Hillmon recorded her 20th 20-point game.
» Maddie Nolan tied a career-best 13 points, including three three-pointers.
» Michigan will take on Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals on Saturday.
Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Bankers Life Fieldhouse)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Quarterfinals)
Score: Michigan 67, #11 Northwestern 59
Records: U-M (21-10), NU (26-4)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, March 7 -- vs. Ohio State - Big Ten Tournament Semifinals (Indianapolis, Ind.), 9 p.m.
• Watch: Postgame Report
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team will make its second straight Big Ten Tournament semifinal appearance following a 67-59 victory over No. 2-seed Northwestern a quarterfinal contest Friday night (March 6) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
U-M will make its first back-to-back Big Ten Tournament semifinal appearances since the 2000-01 season and is the first No. 7 seed to defeat a No. 2 seed at the Big Ten Tournament in 11 years.
Junior Hailey Brown hit a clutch three-pointer with just 18 seconds remaining in the contest to lock down the Michigan victory. Brown finished the game with a season-high 19 points, while sophomore Naz Hillmon notched her 20th career 20-point performance on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor.
Freshman Maddie Nolan tied a career-best 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including draining three triples to round out the U-M double-digit scorers. She also pulled down a career-high eight boards.
Senior Akienreh Johnson led Michigan on the glass with nine rebounds and dished out a team-best seven assists, and sophomore Amy Dilk chipped in seven points and six assists for in the victory.
Michigan shot 46.0 percent (23-for-50) for the game, including 53.8 percent (7-for-13) from three-point range while scoring 26 points in the paint and 12 points off of NU turnovers.
Michigan opened the game on an 8-0 run, including four points from Hillmon, to take a quick lead against the Wildcats. Hillmon continued to be a threat in the post, adding four more points and giving the Wolverines a 12-8 advantage into the media timeout. Despite the hot offensive start, U-M suffered a scoring drought of almost five minutes, during which Northwestern went on a 7-0 run and took a 13-12 lead heading to the second quarter.
Dilk drained a contested three and was fouled on the shot to give her a four-point play opportunity. She missed the free throw, but Hillmon was there to complete a five-point possession and put the Wolverines up, 21-19, with just over five minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The teams exchanged baskets to close out the half, but a last-second Wildcats three-pointer gave them a 32-31 lead heading into the halftime break. Hillmon led U-M with 12 points and Brown added eight.
Both teams exchanged baskets over the first three minutes of the third quarter. Northwestern opened a four-point lead, 39-35, with just under six minutes left in the quarter. Hillmon scored four points over a near-two minute span to tie the game at 39. After an NU basket, Michigan hit back-to-back three-pointers to take a 45-41 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the third stanza. The Wolverines closed out the quarter on 4-for-5 shooting, including the third triple from Nolan, to take a 49-44 lead into the final 10 minutes of play.
Johnson opened the fourth quarter with U-M's sixth three-pointer of the evening to put Michigan up by eight and force Northwestern to burn a timeout with over eight minutes to play. The Wildcats battled back to come within three, 58-55, with just over two minutes remaining in regulation as U-M was held scoreless from the field for over three minutes.
Dilk threaded the needle with a lead pass to Hillmon, who finished the layup to put the Wolverines up, 62-57, with 1:02 to play. The Wildcats called a timeout and scored on their ensuing possession to bring it within three points with 43 seconds remaining.
Brown sealed the win for the Wolverines in the semifinals, knocking down her second three-pointer of the game with 18 seconds left.
Michigan will take on Ohio State on Saturday (March 7) in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
