Michigan
Michigan State
Wolverines Set for Rivalry Tilt at Michigan State
1/25/2024 3:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team (14-6, 5-3 Big Ten) heads to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten) in a rivalry game at the Breslin Center on Saturday (Jan. 27) at noon. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+.
Notes
• Michigan picked up its second straight win last time out, rallying from a 16-point deficit to defeat Maryland at home, 79-77 in overtime. The Wolverines never led in regulation and only held a lead for 2:22 of the 45-minute game. It snapped a streak of 62 straight wins for the Terrapins when they were leading with five minutes remaining. It was Michigan's first overtime win since a 74-68 victory over No. 5 Baylor on Dec. 19, 2021. U-M did not play an overtime game during the 2022-23 season.
• Chyra Evans did it all in Michigan's win over Maryland (Jan. 24), finishing with career highs in points (17), assists (five) and minutes (41) to go with eight rebounds. She joins Iowa's Caitlin Clark as the only Big Ten players in conference play to record at least 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Evans has started the last 11 games and is averaging 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game.
• Michigan and Michigan State are squaring off in the first of two meetings this season for the in-state rivals. U-M has won three in a row against the Spartans and six of the last seven in the series. The Wolverines are looking for their first four-game winning streak against MSU since winning four between Dec. 30, 1999 and Jan. 2, 2002.
• Michigan ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring defense (58.8 ppg), with Michigan State ranking second in scoring offense (86.9 ppg).
• There will be plenty of former teammates squaring off in this game, with Elissa Brett and Jocelyn Tate playing together at Bowling Green, while Taylor Williams and Lauren Ross were teammates at Western Michigan. In addition, Brett played four seasons at Bowling Green for first-year Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick.
• Laila Phelia became the 31st Wolverine to reach the 1,000-point mark in Michigan's last game, finishing with 14 points for 1,003 in her illustrious career in the maize and blue. Michigan now has four 1,000-point scorers, with Brett, Taylor Williams and Lauren Hansen all reaching the mark before transferring to Michigan.
• Michigan has already had five games this season with at least 10 three-pointers, tying a school record with 14 against SIUE (Nov. 29), hitting 13 twice (at Illinois, Dec. 10; vs. Miami, Dec. 16) and putting in 10 twice (Eastern Michigan, Nov. 24; Maryland, Jan. 24). It is the first time since the 2017-18 season that Michigan has had multiple games with at least 10 three-pointers. U-M had three instances in that season, including a game in which Katelynn Flaherty set a school record by hitting 10 three-pointers against Penn State (Dec. 28, 2017). On the season, U-M is averaging 7.2 three-point field goals per game on 35.6 percent shooting.
• U-M is tied for first in the Big Ten in offensive rebounding (14.3 per game), turning those into 13.3 second-chance points per game after scoring 14 second-chance points against Maryland (Jan. 24). U-M also is third in the conference in rebounding margin at +6.8, taking advantage of the offensive rebounds and holding opponents to just 31.2 caroms per game. The Wolverines have outrebounded their opponents in all but six games, going 13-1 when grabbing more. U-M is 1-5 when being outrebounded, picking up their first win in the game against Rutgers (Jan. 21) after the Scarlet Knights held a 34-33 advantage on the glass.
• Jordan Hobbs has become a regular starter in her third year in the maize and blue, averaging a career-best 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. She has 181 points on the season, eclipsing last year's total of 147 points (4.9 per game). She is one of three Wolverines to start all 20 games. Hobbs is playing a career-high 26.6 minutes per game, ranking third on the team in that category and fourth in rebounding (3.9 rpg). She had 15 points against Maryland (Jan. 24), hitting four triples on 50 percent shooting to help Michigan rally for the win.
