Michigan
8-2,1-0Big Ten
Illinois
5-3,0-1Big Ten
Wolverines Bounce Back With Road Win at Illinois
12/10/2023 5:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team hit 13 three-pointers and used a stifling first-half defense to pick up an 84-48 road win over Illinois in its Big Ten opener on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 10) at the State Farm Center.
Michigan recorded the sixth-best margin of victory in a Big Ten game in program history with the 36-point win and was one off a program record with 13 three-pointers. U-M had four players in double figures, paced by a career-best 22 points from Jordan Hobbs on the strength of four triples on 4-for-5 shooting from deep. Lauren Hansen and Laila Phelia each turned in 14 points, with Chyra Evans going for 10 points in the first start of her career. Michigan turned the ball over just six times in the contest with 20 assists.
Both teams started slow offensively, going back-and-forth in the early going. Hobbs gave Michigan an 8-7 lead with 3:44 left in the period, one Michigan never relinquished. U-M held Illinois without a field goal for more than five minutes to end the quarter, getting a triple from Greta Kampschroeder and a bucket from Elissa Brett for a 15-9 lead after 10 minutes.
U-M opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run on buckets from Evans, Hansen and Hobbs to force an Illini timeout with 7:09 remaining as the lead grew to 21-9. Michigan hit back-to-back-to-back triples from Evans, Hobbs and Hansen as Illinois was forced to use another timeout less than three minutes later, with Michigan taking a 32-14 lead. Elise Stuck made consecutive layups as Michigan completed a 13-0 run in the latter stages of the second quarter.
Michigan held Illinois to just five made field goals in the first half, taking a 39-16 lead into the locker room.
The Wolverines kept pouring it on in the third quarter, hitting seven triples in the period on 77.8 percent shooting to extend its lead to as many as 34 points. Eight different Wolverines found the scoring column in the period as Michigan outscored the Illini by 10, 31-21.
U-M's lead grew to as many as 38 points in the final stanza, eventually taking the 36-point win.
Michigan takes the week off for exams and is back in action at Crisler Center on Saturday (Dec. 16) against Miami (Ohio) at 11 a.m. The first 1,000 fans will receive a block M cookie cutter.
