Michigan to Host Villanova Monday with NCAA Sweet 16 Berth on the Line

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 3-seeded University of Michigan women's basketball team (23-6) will look for its second straight NCAA Sweet 16 berth on Monday (March 21) when it hosts No. 11 seed Villanova (24-8) in a second-round game at Crisler Center. The game is set for 6 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPNU.

The Michigan-Villanova winner will advance to the Wichita Regional, scheduled for Saturday and Monday (March 26 and 28) at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.

Wolverine Notes

• Michigan and Villanova are squaring off for the third time, with the previous two meetings also occurring in the postseason. U-M came away with a 60-52 win over the Wildcats in the 2013 NCAA Tournament first round at Stanford and a 65-61 win in the semifinals of the 2017 WNIT at Crisler.

• The Wolverines are in search of their second straight NCAA Sweet 16 berth after making it there for the first time in program history a year ago.

• U-M is 15-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents by more than 20 points per game (77.0 ppg to 56.8 ppg). U-M has three players in double-figure scoring at home in Naz Hillmon (24.3 ppg, up from her season average of 21.1 ppg), Leigha Brown (13.8 ppg on 50.0 percent shooting) and Emily Kiser (10.1 ppg, up from her season average of 9.8 ppg). U-M is shooting 49.7 percent from the floor as a team at Crisler, and the defense has been stingy at home, allowing just 56.8 points per game on 36.4 percent shooting. Michigan has held 10 opponents under 60 points at home this season. Michigan is looking for its first-ever undefeated season at home.

• Naz Hillmon is up to 1,031 career rebounds, setting a new program record for rebounds. She is on the verge of passing men's basketball legends Bill Buntin (1,037) and Rudy Tomjanovich (1,039) for first all-time at Michigan. Those three are the only Wolverines between the two programs with at least 1,000 career rebounds.

• Michigan is first in the Big Ten and sixth nationally in rebounding margin at +10.3 boards per game as the only conference team in double digits. The Wolverines have gone 21-4 when winning the battle on the glass and are one of eight teams nationally to have a rebound margin in positive double digits. U-M leads the conference in combined opponent rebounds, giving up just 30.2 per game. The Wolverines are second in combined team rebounds, grabbing 40.3 caroms per contest. Michigan has two of the top six rebounders in the Big Ten in Naz Hillmon (4th, 9.5 rpg) and Emily Kiser (6th, 8.0 rpg).

• Villanova (24-8) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after knocking off No. 6 seed BYU, 61-57, on March 19. The Wildcats are averaging 65.4 points per game on 40.4 percent shooting while allowing 60.8 points per game on 41.2 percent shooting. Nova features three double-figure scorers in Maddy Siegrist (25.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg), Lior Garzon (13.2 ppg) and Brianna Herlihy (10.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg). Michigan is 2-0 all-time against Villanova, with the previous two matchups also happening in the postseason.