Michigan
17-11,8-8Big Ten
Northwestern
8-19,3-13Big Ten
Thirty-Point Third Quarter Sends Wolverines Past Wildcats
2/24/2024 6:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team scored 30 points in the third quarter, including 17 in the first 2:46 of the period, en route to a 74-60 win over Northwestern on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 24) at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Laila Phelia just missed out on a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in 37 minutes of action. Lauren Hansen turned in a game-high 18 points, with Elissa Brett going for 15 points and Jordan Hobbs scoring 10. U-M had 20 assists on 26 made field goals, hitting eight triples in the contest. The Wolverines also held a 42-31 advantage on the glass.
Michigan uncorked a 10-0 run in just 1:36 to start the third quarter, forcing a Northwestern timeout at the 8:24 mark as U-M's lead grew to 40-28. Chyra Evans scored on Michigan's first possession, with Brett hitting a triple, Phelia making good on a steal-and-score and Hansen hitting a corner triple to account for the 10 points.
U-M's run continued after the timeout, growing to 17-0 before Northwestern scored with just over seven minutes remaining. Hansen hit a triple, Hobbs split a pair at the line and Phelia converted a three-point play as Michigan scored 17 points in the first 2:46 of the quarter.
Michigan's lead grew to 23, 60-37, with 2:15 to go in the third quarter on a Brett layup from Phelia. Northwestern ended the period on a 7-0 run, trimming Michigan's lead to 60-44 after 30 minutes of action.
The Wildcats continued their run to start the fourth, scoring the first eight points to force a Michigan timeout with 7:36 remaining and its lead down to eight, 60-52.
Michigan got a corner triple from Hobbs and a bucket from Williams to stop the NU run and push Michigan's lead back to double figures, 65-52, with just over five minutes remaining.
The Wildcats only got back within single digits once the rest of the way, trimming Michigan's lead to nine with 2:08 to go. Hansen stole the ball on the Northwestern possession, forcing the Wildcats to foul. U-M made 5-of-6 at the line during the stretch, with Hobbs finding Elise Stuck for a long layup with 31 seconds left to seal a 74-60 win.
Michigan started the game on a 7-0 run, getting an opening triple from Brett, along with buckets from Phelia and Hobbs. The Wildcats responded with a 9-0 run following a pair of Evans free throws, taking a 12-9 lead with 2:39 on the first-quarter clock.
Hansen hit a triple in transition and Hobbs made a pair at the line for a 14-12 lead for the Wolverines after 10 minutes of action.
After NU scored on its opening possession of the second quarter, U-M countered with a 9-0 run for a 23-14 lead at the 7:18 mark of the period. Stuck assisted on a Brett layup and a Phelia triple, with Hansen accounting for the other four points on a pair of free throws and a jumper.
The Wildcats slowly chipped away at the Michigan lead as the Wolverines committed five turnovers in the second quarter, scoring just six points the rest of the stanza. U-M hit the halftime break with a 30-28 lead behind nine points from Hansen and seven from Phelia.
Michigan concludes a two-game road swing next time out, traveling to Columbus, Ohio, to face No. 2-ranked Ohio State on Wednesday (Feb. 28) at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed live on Peacock.
