Michigan
Illinois
Second-Half Comeback Leads Illinois Past Michigan
12/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team (No. 12 AP, No. 12 USA Today/ESPN) lost a see-saw battle Friday night (Dec. 28) in its Big Ten Conference opener, falling 85-81 to the University of Illinois at Crisler Arena. Sophomore Jennifer Smith (Lansing, Mich./DeWitt HS) led the Wolverines (10-2, 0-1 Big Ten) with 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while junior LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS) and sophomore Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS) added 17 apiece. Illinois (8-3, 1-0 Big Ten) received a game-high 24-point performance from Iveta Marcauskaite.
| | Gandy |
Following an Illinois turnover resulting in a media timeout, Pool gave the Wolverines their first lead at 9-7. The Illini turned the ball over on their ensuing possession, and Pool capitalized on the turnover as she hit her second three-pointer of the night, pushing the score to 12-7.
Marcauskaite tied the game at 16-16 when she hit her ninth point of the game off a turnaround jumper in the lane. Senior Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS) put the Wolverines on top once again with a long three-pointer, making the score 19-16. Following a Marcauskaite jumper, Smith put Michigan ahead by three with a strong back-down move in the paint, pushing the score to 21-18.
The two teams traded baskets on their next five possessions. During the teams' runs, Smith scored her 10th point on a turnaround layin. With the score 27-26 in favor of the Wolverines, Ingram took a Cindy Dallas rebound and pushed the ball up court for a Michigan fast break. As Ingram tried to weave her way through traffic, Shavonna Hunter stole the ball drove in for a layup, giving the Illini the lead at 28-27.
The Wolverines responded quickly, scoring the next six points en route to a 35-28 lead. The Michigan run was highlighted by Bies' four consecutive points. After Marcauskaite ended Illinois three-minute scoring drought, Poole gave the Wolverines a 37-30 lead with a jumper from the left elbow.
Freshman Katrina Mason (Detroit, Mich./Murray-Wright HS) scored her first two points of the game as she layed in an Ingram no-look pass on a three-on-one fast break, giving the Maize and Blue its largest lead at 39-30. Illinois went on a 4-0 mini run, until Mason connected on her first of two free throw attempts and closed out the first half scoring. As the two teams exited the court for halftime the Wolverines led 40-35.
Coming out of the break, Illinois went on an 8-0 run as Michigan turned the ball over on three of its first four possessions, resulting in a 43-40 Illini lead. Senior Heather Oesterle (Mason, Mich./Mason HS) ended the Maize and Blue's scoring drought with a triple from the right wing at 16:15 to tie the game at 43-43.
Both teams traded baskets on their four possessions, but a pair of Gandy free throws gave Michigan a 49-47 lead. Following Marcauskaite basket Gandy put the Wolverines up 51-49 on a jumper from the left wing.
Dallas put the Illini up six with a jumper in the lane, making the score 57-51. On Michigan's ensuing possession Gandy drew a foul, which put her on the free throw line for two shots. Gandy connected bringing the score to 57-53.
Following a Marcauskaite basket the Wolverines rattled off the next four points, pushing the score to 59-57 with 9:41 left in the game. On Illinois' ensuing possession Gandy stole an entrance pass into the paint and Smith capitalized with her first points of the second half. Following a Dawn Vana bucket to give Illinois a 61-59 lead, Smith used the backboard and tied the game at 61-61. Bies gave Michigan its first lead in 5:10 as she banked home a jumper from 15 feet out, making the score 63-61.
Michigan caused a held ball on the next possession, resulting in an Illini turnover. Gandy took advantage of the turnover as she converted a three-point play, drawing the Wolverines within two at 81-79 with 49 seconds left in the game.
With 19.1 seconds remaining Dallas put the Illini up four as she connected on both free throws, making the score 83-79. The Wolverines took the inbounds and raced down the floor to call their final timeout with 15.1 seconds left. Coming out of the timeout the Maize and Blue looked for Bies to take a three-pointer. Bies' triple attempt fell short, but Smith was there for the rebound and putback making the score 83-81 with 6.6 seconds left.
The Wolverines went into a full-court press after the made field goal, but left Marcauskaite open at half court. Marcauskaite dribbled away from the Michigan charge and found Hunter under the basket. Hunter then passed the ball over to an open Dallas, who hit a jumper at the buzzer, ending the game with a 85-81 Illinois win.
Michigan returns to action Sunday (Dec. 30) as the Wolverines travel to West Lafayette, Ind., for a 2 p.m. matchup with the No. 7-ranked Purdue Boilermakers.
N O T E S
Alayne Ingram's 10 assists are a career high, and Stephanie Gandy matched a career high with 17 points.
The Wolverines set a new school single-game record with their shooting percentage of .667, besting the previous mark of .648 that was set vs. Minnesota on Feb. 21, 1997.
The 85 points scored by Illinois are the most given up by the Wolverines this season.
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Sue Guevara
On the game overall ... "We just did not have an answer for them offensively. On our offensive end we turned the ball over too much and were just a little anxious at times. You also have to give Illinois credit for coming into here and playing as well as they did."
On what it will take to bounce back ... "This has been a pretty resilient team this season and now we are going to get another chance to see just how resilient they are. We have the opportunity to go on the road and maybe take one on somebody else's home floor like one was taken from us tonight."
On the turnovers ... "There are different types of turnovers such as unforced or mental, and we need to cut down on the mental ones. It is something that has been a problem for us and is something we will continue to work on until we correct it."
Senior Guard Alayne Ingram
On the support of the crowd tonight ... "It was nice to come home and have the support we had tonight. I just hope everybody comes back next Wednesday (Jan. 2) when we play Michigan State so they can see the real Michigan."
Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz
On the keys to victory ... "I thought one of the important aspects was our rebounding. We outrebounded a very good rebounding team and that is a good sign. Anytime a team shoots .667 on its home floor and you still find a way to win is pretty remarkable."
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
