Michigan
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Virginia Tech
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Wolverines Blitz Virginia Tech, Win Fort Myers Tip-Off
11/30/2024 9:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team used a run in the middle stages of the first quarter to take control, running past Virginia Tech, 76-65, in the Shell Division Championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Saturday evening (Nov. 30) at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Syla Swords was named the MVP, with Olivia Olson grabbing all-tournament team honors.
U-M had four players score in double figures, led by Swords, who finished with 24 points, six boards, and two steals. Olson went for 15 points, six boards, and four assists, with Jordan Hobbs and Yulia Grabovskaia each chipping in 10. U-M shot 54.4 percent from the floor in the game while holding Virginia Tech to just 37.5 percent shooting. Michigan tallied a 37-27 advantage on the glass, scoring 14 second-chance points.
Michigan used an 11-0 run for a 14-5 lead that forced a Virginia Tech timeout at the 5:43 mark, capped by a give-and-go layup from Olson to Greta Kampschroeder. The run featured five points from Kampschroeder and two each from Hobbs, Swords, and Olson. The Wolverines led by as many as 11 points in the opening frame, getting seven points from Swords and six from Olson for a 24-15 lead after 10 minutes.
The Wolverines opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run to double up Virginia Tech, 30-15, with 7:27 left in the second quarter after two buckets from Olson and a free throw each from Kampschroeder and Mila Holloway. Michigan took its largest lead of the first half with an even three minutes remaining, grabbing a 43-28 advantage on a putback layup from Grabovskaia.
Michigan hit the half with a 43-28 lead, shooting 60.0 percent from the floor over the first 20 minutes while holding Virginia Tech to 29.0 percent shooting.
The Hokies opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run, forcing a Michigan timeout at the 7:21 mark with its lead trimmed to six, 43-37. Michigan executed the play out of the timeout to perfection, a backcut from Olson to Hobbs to stop the run. Holloway grabbed an offensive rebound and found Swords for the second-chance triple, pushing Michigan's lead back to double figures at 11 with 6:18 left in the third quarter.
A Holloway three-point play with 2:27 on the third-quarter clock pushed Michigan's lead back to 14, 58-44. After the Hokies pulled within 11 on three free throws, Swords hit a three from Olson with just under five seconds remaining for a 61-47 Michigan lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Virginia Tech opened the fourth with five straight points, trimming Michigan's lead back to single digits before Hobbs made a tough bucket in the lane to stem the tide.
Kampschroeder made good on a second-chance triple with just under five minutes left, giving the Maize and Blue a 68-55 lead. Swords provided the dagger, hitting a stepback triple at the top of the key with 2:11 remaining, keeping Michigan's lead safely in double figures to record the win.
Michigan returns to home action next Sunday (Dec. 8), hosting Northwestern in its lone Big Ten contest prior to the holiday break. Tip is set for 2 p.m. at Crisler Center.
