Michigan
13-3,8-3Big Ten
Iowa
13-7,9-7Big Ten
Wolverines Fall to Hot-Shooting Hawkeyes
2/25/2021 11:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» The Wolverines fell in a 25-10 hole after the first quarter and never recovered in the contest. Iowa hit 16 triples in the game at a 59.3 percent clip.
» Naz Hillmon led the way for Michigan with 24 points and eight rebounds, with Leigha Brown going for 16 points.
» The game was delayed five hours due to COVID-19 concerns.
Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena)
Score: Iowa 89, #12 Michigan 67
Records: U-M (13-3, 8-3 B1G), Iowa (13-7, 9-7 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 28 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 1:30 p.m. CST
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team fell in an early hole, and a hot-shooting Hawkeyes offense hit 16 three-pointers on 59.3 percent shooting in an 89-67 Iowa win Thursday night (Feb. 25) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The game was delayed for five hours after both institutions decided to delay in conjunction with COVID-19 protocols, and after further testing, there are no safety concerns. The decision to pause was made jointly by the Michigan and Iowa Departments of Athletics and the athletic medicine staffs in consultation with the Big Ten Conference.
Junior Naz Hillmon led the way for Michigan, going for 24 points and eight rebounds, with junior Leigha Brown joining her in double figures with 16 points. Senior Hailey Brown hit a trio of three-pointers for nine points, and graduate student Akienreh Johnson chipped in seven points and seven boards. U-M shot 35.6 percent (21-for-59) from the field, while Iowa shot 59.3 percent (32-for-54).
The Wolverines fell in a 25-10 hole after 10 minutes as Iowa hit five triples in the first period.
Hillmon hit a pair of free throws to start the second, but Iowa hit another triple on the next possession to extend its lead to 28-12.
Michigan used an 8-0 run, capped by a Leigha Brown three-point play to climb within 15 points, 37-22, at the 4:59 mark of the second quarter.
The run continued after both teams had empty possessions, moving to 11-0 on a Hailey Brown triple at the 3:42 mark. After an Iowa triple, Johnson made good on a layup in transition and made a free throw after drawing a foul at the 2:26 mark to pull Michigan within 12, 40-28.
Iowa finished the half by scoring nine of the next 11 points, including a triple at the buzzer to hit the half with a 49-30 advantage. Iowa made 10 triples in the first half and made 65.5 percent (19-for-29) of its shots from the field over the first 20 minutes.
U-M used a 9-0 run in the middle stages of the third, but Iowa outscored the Wolverines, 28-17, in the period to hold a 30-point lead after 30 minutes.
Michigan went on an 8-0 run in the final period, featuring back-to-back triples from sophomore Maddie Nolan and Hailey Brown and a pair of free throws from Leigha Brown, to cut the Iowa lead to 83-61 at the 4:53 mark.
The Maize and Blue outscored the Hawkeyes, 20-12, in the fourth quarter to provide the final margin.
U-M wraps up a two-game road swing Sunday (Feb. 28) at Minnesota. Tip is set for 1:30 p.m. CST, and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
