Michigan
Minnesota
Wolverines Run Out of Gas in Second Half at Minnesota
1/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team (No. 23 USA Today/ESPN) fell victim to a 14-0 Minnesota run midway through the second half and never recovered on its way to a fourth straight conference defeat, 84-75, Thursday night (Jan. 17) at the Sports Pavilion. Despite the defeat, several Wolverines came through with highlight efforts, led by Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS), who delivered a career-best 24 points. LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS) added her eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 14 rebounds.
A game that looked like it could be a high scoring affair beforehand turned into a track meet through the first seven minutes as the lead changed hands on 12 occasions before leaving the score tied at 17 at the first dead ball (12:55). Although the Wolverines struggled defensively, they started out the game on offense doing just what they wanted, which was get the ball down low, and posts Bies and Jennifer Smith (Lansing, Mich./DeWitt HS) combined for 12 of Michigan's first 17 points.
Michigan's success in the paint opened up the perimeter as Alayne Ingram (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS) and Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS) each knocked down triples. The Wolverines, however, could not find a solution to Minnesota in the half-court as the Golden Gophers led by three (27-24) with less than eight minutes left in the half. Minnesota stretched its lead to as much as eight (34-26) with just over four minutes left in the first frame before a big triple from Heather Oesterle (Mason, Mich./Mason HS), her third perimeter hoop of the first half, slowed the Minnesota momentum.
Oesterle's triple sent the Wolverines on a 14-2 run over a four-minute period as the Maize and Blue gained a semblance of control. Michigan's patience on the offensive end led to six straight points from Bies, with senior Ingram finding her with nice dish to the high post on one possession. Also aiding the Wolverines down the stretch of the first half was a much improved defensive effort as a steal by Gandy led to a rebound putback by Oesterle in transition and then a defensive stop on the next possession led to an Oesterle triple and a 40-36 Michigan lead. The Golden Gophers did manage the last hoop of the half to cut the deficit back to two (40-38) as the teams headed for the locker room.
For the half, the Wolverines shot .516 from the field, while the Golden Gophers cooled off to a mark of .441. Just as the Wolverines hoped, Bies and Smith combined for 18 first-half points with 10 and eight, respectively. The bonus came from Oesterle, whose previous season scoring high was nine, as the senior tri-captain netted a team-best 12 points on 5-5 shooting off the bench in the first stanza. Evidence of Michigan's offensive efficiency was its 12 assists, including five from Ingram to go with just one turnover for the senior. However, Michigan still managed 10 team turnovers.
Michigan maintained its advantage early in the second as the Wolverines picked apart the Minnesota zone. However, the Wolverines missed several easy opportunities in the first four minutes of the second frame and only led by four (45-41). The improved Wolverine defense continued to lead to transition hoops as a pullup jumper by Ingram and layup by Gandy ballooned Michigan's lead to six (49-43) with just under 15 minutes remaining in the game.
Minnesota had an answer, however, and buoyed by back-to-back triples from Lindsay Lieser, the Golden Gophers regained the momentum that took them on a 22-3 run over the next six-plus minutes. The Minnesota rally included a 14-0 run that resulted in a 65-52 Golden Gopher lead and was finally stopped at the 7:30 mark on a layup by Gandy.
The Wolverines made a mini run led by Ingram, who scored on a pullup jumper and layup in transition to cut the lead to single digits (69-60) as the Wolverines continued to get good looks offensively but fell ice cold from the field. A couple of triples in the final two minutes from Gandy kept the Wolverines in striking distance, but Minnesota (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) worked the clock and made its free throws to cement the 84-75 victory.
Michigan (11-7, 1-6 Big Ten) returns home to conclude the first half of the Big Ten season on Sunday (Jan. 20, 1 p.m.) vs. Indiana in the Big Ten Game of the Week on FOX Sports Chicago. The Wolverines are shooting to break the Crisler Arena women's basketball attendance mark (4,558).
N O T E S
LeeAnn Bies hit five free throws tonight to move into a tie with Tonya Powell (1987-90) for the U-M career record for free throws made (325).
Stephanie Gandy made a career-best four three-pointers on her way to a career-high 24 points.
Heather Oesterle finished with a season-best 14 points.
Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame Prep HS) made her first career start at the point.
Alayne Ingram matched her career best with 10 assists to go with 11 points for her second career double-double.
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Sue Guevara
On the game overall ... "The two triples by Lindsay Leiser changed the momentum and we never recovered. I am not sure how you lose her in a zone defense, but we did and paid for it. When you lose a game by nine and you look at our turnovers, our missed chippies in the second half and our poor free throw shooting, those things are tough to overcome on the road in this conference."
On where Michigan goes from here ... "I am not sure, but we are going to go back to work at practice and get better."
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
