Michigan
RTU Klondaika (ex)
Michigan Downs RTU Klondaika in Exhibition Contest
11/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: Michigan 89, RTU Klondaika 75 (exhibition)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 16 -- at Louisiana Tech (Ruston, La.), 7 p.m. CST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team (No. 17 Associated Press, No. 20 ESPN/USA Today) debuted its 2001-02 campaign this evening (Friday, Nov. 9) with an 89-75 exhibition victory over RTU Klondaika at Crisler Arena. Five Wolverines scored in double figures led by senior tri-captain Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS), who scored 24 points on 9-14 shooting (4-8 three-point field goals) despite moving this season to the point guard position. She also dished out four assists and turned the ball over on just one occasion.
Michigan jumped out to a 15-5 lead early in the first half thanks in part to seven points by sophomore forward Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS), including the first Michigan triple of the game. Senior guard Heather Oesterle (Mason, Mich./Mason HS), who led the Wolverines with six assists, also drained a triple as Michigan expanded its lead to 14 (23-9) at the 13:12 mark of the first half. Michigan continued to find holes in the Klondaika zone defense and stretched its lead to 16 (35-19) on one of Ingram's four triples at the 8:13 mark.
Freshman Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) came off the bench and got into the act as she drilled an 18-foot jumper in transition for her first points in the Maize and Blue. Pool's hoop gave Michigan its biggest lead of the game at 41-23 with 5:41 left in the first stanza. Michigan shot just .429 (18-42) from the floor in the first half, but out-rebounded Klondaika 24-15 and forced 11 first-half Klondaika turnovers that resulted in 17 Michigan points as U-M took a 48-31 lead into the intermission.
The second half was a little different story as Klondaika opened the stanza with a 10-5 run over the first five minutes to cut the deficit to 12 (53-41). As the Wolverines cooled off from the perimeter in the second half they went into the post to centers Jennifer Smith (Lansing, Mich./DeWitt HS) and LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS). Smith responded with 10 of her 14 points in the second half as she and Bies helped keep Klondaika at bay. Klondaika cut the lead to nine (59-50) at the 11:24 mark, but was not able to get any closer after Bies knocked down a pair of charity tosses to push the lead back to 11.
Although the Wolverines kept Klondaika at a safe distance they were unable to pull away as Klondaika began to heat up from the beyond the arc in the second half. Klondaika connected on four second-period triples and shot .562 (18-32) from the field in the second frame. However, Michigan's deep bench, which was led by 13 points from Bies and nine from Pool, proved too much for the team from Latvia and came away with an 89-75 victory.
Michigan begins the games that count next Friday (Nov. 16, 7 p.m. CST) with its season opener at No. 6 Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La. Michigan's home opener is slated for Nov. 29 (7 p.m.) against Marquette at Crisler Arena.
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Sue Guevara
On the game overall ... "I asked the kids to grade this game in the locker room after the game and they said a C+ or B- and I think that is pretty accurate. We are going to have to play our 'A' game next week at Louisiana Tech. I thought it was a tale of two halves and I was pleased with the way we played in the first half. However, the second half was not as crisp and we let them back in it."
On the play of Alayne Ingram at the point ... "She did a very nice job of running the show and still led us in scoring. She led us in scoring without taking a bad shot, at least that I could remember, and she also took very good care of the ball. I would have to say that her play was a definite positive for us."
On the play of Tabitha Pool ... "She did a nice job in her first action. She did some nice things but made a couple of mistakes, which is to be expected of a freshman playing in her first collegiate action and going up against players much older and more experienced."
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
