Michigan
6-0,0-0Big Ten
South Florida
7-1,0-0AAC
Wolverines Rally for Win Over South Florida in Gulf Coast Showcase
11/26/2022 10:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ESTERO, Fla. -- Down five with 5:56 remaining, the No. 22-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team got three straight triples from Maddie Nolan, the last at the 2:10 mark to put U-M ahead for good, to rally for a 63-58 win over South Florida in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Saturday evening (Nov. 26) at Hertz Arena.
Leigha Brown assisted on all three of Nolan's three-pointers down the stretch as Michigan completed the fourth-quarter comeback. Brown led the Wolverines with 23 points, four assists and two boards after dealing with first-half foul trouble. Emily Kiser turned in 10 points, nine boards, two assists and two steals, with Laila Phelia going for 11 points. Michigan held a 33-31 advantage on the glass and forced 13 USF turnovers in the contest.
With Michigan down five, 54-49, with 5:56 remaining, Brown found Nolan with a crosscourt pass to the right corner. Nolan made good on her first triple of the contest to pull the Wolverines within two just 16 seconds later. Brown was fouled on Michigan's next possession but missed both free throws. Cameron Williams chased down the errant rebound and got the ball back to Brown. She fired the same identical pass to Nolan, who buried the three from the exact same spot to push Michigan ahead by one, 55-54, at the 4:37 mark.
The Bulls made a pair at the line at the 3:31 mark, regaining a one-point lead. After both teams came up empty in their ensuing possessions, it was rinse-and-repeat for Brown and Nolan. Nolan buried her third triple in three minutes, giving Michigan the lead for good.
U-M went 5-for-6 from the line in the closing seconds to record the win.
After South Florida scored first, Michigan countered with a 7-0 run that was kickstarted by a deep Brown three. Phelia got to the basket and then Brown made good off a Nolan steal for an early 7-2 Michigan lead just 2:22 into the contest.
South Florida hit a shot at the first-quarter buzzer to tie the game at 17 after 10 minutes of action, as Brown was forced to sit with two fouls.
The Bulls converted a three-point play to start the second quarter, but Michigan got a putback bucket from Williams to trim the lead just one at the 8:22 mark.
USF took a 25-21 lead off a fastbreak layup with 4:50 remaining for its largest lead of the half. After the media timeout, Michigan executed on the baseline out-of-bounds play for a Kiser layup at the 4:17 mark. Kiser tied the contest on Michigan's next trip down, but South Florida countered immediately with a jumper in the lane to regain a 27-25 lead with 3:14 left before the half.
Michigan kept the Bulls off the board the rest of the way, getting buckets from Greta Kampschroeder and Kiser to hit the half with a 29-27 lead.
The third quarter was back-and-forth before a 6-0 run from South Florida in the latter stages of the period gave the Bulls a 45-41 lead after 30 minutes. USF led by seven in the opening minutes of the fourth before Michigan made its late push.
U-M will face No. 21 Baylor in the championship game Sunday (Nov. 27) at 7:30 p.m. It is the third meeting between the two teams since March 2021.
