Michigan
Minnesota
Michigan to Complete Early Big Ten Play Against Minnesota
12/10/2021 3:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan completes a two-game conference stretch, welcoming Minnesota to Crisler Center in the first meeting between the two teams since Feb. 10, 2020. It is Minnesota's first trip to Ann Arbor since Dec. 31, 2018.
» U-M has topped the 90-point mark in each of the last two games, scoring an identical 93 points against Akron and at Wisconsin. It is the first time Michigan has topped 90 in consecutive games since doing it against Butler (93; Dec. 9, 2020) and Wisconsin (92; Dec. 31, 2020).
» The first 1,000 fans in attendance at Sunday's game will receive a Michigan ornament.
THIS WEEK
Sunday, Dec. 12 -- vs. Minnesota (Crisler Center), 2 p.m.
TV: B1G+ | Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video | Roster Card
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
PROMOTIONS
• Dec. 12: Holiday Celebration Game; Michigan Ornament Giveaway (first 1,000 fans); Simon Sez Halftime Performance; Men's Basketball Ticket Redemption
• Full Promotions Schedule
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team (9-1, 1-0 Big Ten) closes out the early portion of Big Ten Conference action, hosting Minnesota (6-5, 0-1 Big Ten) on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 12) at Crisler Center. Tip is set for 2 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on B1G+. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Michigan ornament.
Wolverine Notes
• Michigan and Minnesota are meeting for the first time since Feb. 10, 2020. Last season's lone meeting, set for Feb. 28 in Minneapolis, was canceled. In the last game between the teams, Michigan came away with a 77-52 win over the Gophers. Sunday's game marks the only regular-season contest between U-M and Minnesota this season.
• Michigan's offense has been nearly unstoppable the last two games after head coach Kim Barnes Arico made a swap in the starting lineup. With experienced junior Maddie Nolan coming off the bench, Michigan has averaged 93.0 points per game on 57.6 percent shooting from the floor and 48.1 percent from three-point range in last two games. Michigan has four players scoring in double figures over the span in Naz Hillmon (19.5 ppg), Emily Kiser (18.0 ppg), Leigha Brown (11.5 ppg) and Danielle Rauch (10.5 ppg). For her part, Nolan is averaging 9.5 points per game on 66.7 percent shooting from the floor and hitting 5-for-8 from deep. Nolan, who has not committed a turnover the last two games, is averaging 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 22.1 minutes per game.
• Senior Danielle Rauch has picked up where she left in last season's NCAA Tournament. She has started all 10 games at point guard and is averaging 8.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 32.2 minutes per game. Rauch, who never reached double figures in scoring until this season, has scored at least 10 points in five games after pouring in a career-best 18 points at Wisconsin (Dec. 9). Her 81 points scored on the season has nearly eclipsed her point total from her first three seasons (86) and accounts for 48.5 percent of her career scoring. She already has played more minutes (322) through 10 games than she did in 19 games last season (309).
• Michigan had just seven turnovers the last time out at Wisconsin, the first time in single digits since equaling that number against Minnesota on Feb. 10, 2020. U-M did not have a turnover in the second half against the Badgers. On the season, U-M is averaging 15.5 turnovers per game while forcing 18.3.
• The Minnesota coaching staff includes Wolverine alumna Shimmy Gray-Miller. Gray-Miller played at Michigan from 1991-94, recording 570 points, 452 rebounds and 146 steals during her career in the maize and blue.
• Minnesota (6-5, 0-1 B1G) has dropped two straight, including its Big Ten opener against Nebraska, 70-67 (Dec. 6). The Gophers are averaging 67.9 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting, while allowing 64.8 points per game on 38.4 percent shooting. Minnesota features a quartet of double-figure scorers in Sara Scalia (13.1 ppg), Kadi Sissoko (12.4 ppg), Jasmine Powell (12.3 ppg) and Deja Winters (10.6 ppg). This is the first meeting between the teams since the 2019-20 season.
• The Wolverines got 20-point games from the duo of Amy Dilk and Naz Hillmon and never trailed in a 77-52 win over Minnesota on Feb. 10, 2020, at Williams Arena. Dilk went for 22 points, eight assists and four rebounds, with Hillmon posting 21 points, eight boards and five assists. Akienreh Johnson added 12 points, five boards and three assists as seven Wolverines found the scoring column. Michigan dished out a season-high 25 assists and held a 37-32 advantage on the glass.
Up Next
Sunday, Dec. 19 -- vs. Baylor - Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase (Uncasville, Conn.), 1 p.m.
