Michigan
12-6,3-3Big Ten
Nebraska
13-5,5-2Big Ten
Fast Start Sends Huskers Past Wolverines
1/17/2024 10:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team fell into an early hole and came within four points in the third quarter but could not complete the comeback, falling 62-43 to Nebraska on Wednesday evening (Jan. 17) at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Michigan struggled offensively in the contest, shooting just 32.6 percent (15-for-46) from the floor and 4-for-15 (.267) from three-point range. Lauren Hansen scored 12 points for the Wolverines, with Laila Phelia going for nine and Jordan Hobbs and Chyra Evans each chipping in seven. Nebraska held a 46-28 advantage on the glass, grabbing 21 rebounds en route to 15 second-chance points.
Nebraska scored the first six points, including a pair of putback baskets before Evans halved the deficit with a right-wing triple at the 7:49 mark of the first quarter. Michigan called timeout with 5:04 after the Huskers hit back-to-back triples for a 12-3 lead, with 10 of their first 12 points coming on second-chance opportunities.
Michigan struggled to find the bottom of the basket during the first 10 minutes, but U-M scored the final five points of the quarter -- capped by a Hobbs triple -- as Nebraska led 17-8 at the end of the first.
U-M slowly chipped away at the Husker lead in the second quarter, closing within seven, 24-17, off a Taylor Williams reverse layup with 3:10 remaining after Nebraska extended its lead to as many as 13. Greta Kampschroeder hit a hanging jumper in the lane to keep the deficit at seven with just under two minutes remaining, but Michigan was not able to cash in on several opportunities down the stretch to get closer as Nebraska hit the half with a 28-19 lead.
Michigan opened the third quarter with a 5-0 run, getting a triple from Hansen and a hanging jumper in the lane from Hobbs to pull the Wolverines within four, 28-24. Nebraska answered with four straight as Michigan went 2:31 without scoring before an Evans layup at the 5:21 mark.
U-M kept cutting the lead to six points in the third but could not get closer. Nebraska went on a 6-0 run over 1:39, pushing a 36-30 advantage to a 42-30 lead with 1:28 remaining in the third. Hobbs hit one at the line with just over a minute remaining to momentarily stop the run, but the Huskers hit a pair at the line with 2.8 remaining for a 46-31 lead after 30 minutes.
The Wolverines could not complete the comeback in the final frame, moving to 3-3 in Big Ten action.
Michigan completes a two-game road swing on Sunday (Jan. 21), traveling to New Jersey to face Rutgers at 2 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+.
