Weekly Release #7
12/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sat-Sun., Dec. 28-29 -- at State Farm Classic (Gainesville, Fla.)
Saturday, Dec. 28 -- vs. Virginia, 5 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 29 -- consolation/championship, 5/7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 2 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CST
Sunday, Jan. 5 -- vs. Illinois (Crisler Arena), 1 p.m.
Complete Release in PDF (24 pages, 126 KB)
| No. 25 Michigan (8-1) vs. Virginia (4-4) | |
| When | Saturday, Dec. 28 (5 p.m.) |
| Site | Gainesville, Fla. (Stephen C. O'Connell Center/12,000) |
| Television/Internet | none |
| Radio/Internet | none/MGoBlue.com will link to Virginia's webcast |
| Series Record | Series Tied, 1-1 |
| Last Meeting | Michigan, 81-71 (3/17/01 in South Bend, Ind.) |
| Coaches | Michigan -- Sue Guevara (Saginaw Valley, 1982) Overall: 118-67 (7th season); at U-M: same Virginia -- Debbie Ryan (Ursinus College, 1975) Overall: 565-214 (26th season); School: same |
| No. 25 Michigan (8-1) vs. Florida (6-4)/Massachusetts (8-1) | |
| When | Sunday, Dec. 29 (5/7:30 p.m.) |
| Site | Gainesville, Fla. (Stephen C. O'Connell Center/12,000) |
| Television | none |
| Radio/Internet | none/MGoBlue.com will link to Florida's webcast should Michigan play them |
| Series Record | First meeting with Florida/Michigan leads Massachusetts, 1-0 |
| Coaches | Florida -- Carolyn Peck (Vanderbilt, 1988) Overall: 118-67 (7th year); at U-M: same Massachusetts -- Marnie Dacko (Southern Connecticut State, 1978) Overall: 88-105 (8th season); School: 8-1 (1st season) |
QUICK DRIBBLES
Michigan has opened the season 8-1 for the fourth time (1996-97, '98-99, 2001-02, '02-03) in school history, all under current head coach Sue Guevara. Only the 1998-99 (9-1) and 2001-02 (10-1) teams went deeper into a season before suffering their second defeat.
Michigan remains ranked No. 5 in the latest WBCA/Summerville RPI primarily because of its strength of schedule. Michigan's opponents to date have a combined record of 45-26 (.634).
Sophomore forward Tabitha Pool is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week after collecting a career-high 24 points to go with 10 boards for her team-best fourth double-double of the season in Michigan's 83-72 win over Colorado State (Dec. 21).
Junior guard-forward Stephanie Gandy has been Michigan's leading scorer since replacing the injured Jennifer Smith in the starting lineup. Gandy is averaging 16.8 points in those five games and has been Michigan's leading scorer with 20 or more points in three of the five games.
Tabitha Pool (10-20, .500) and Stephanie Gandy (11-21, .524) are shooting a combined .512 (21-41) from behind the arc.
Michigan has made (153) 34 more free throws than its opponents have attempted (119).
Michigan and Virginia last met in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2001, in South Bend, Ind. Michigan came back from a 17-point second-half deficit to win 81-71 in overtime. Current Wolverines Jennifer Smith and LeeAnn Bies scored 20 and 15 points, respectively.
Michigan has outrebounded each of its first eight opponents and has an overall rebounding advantage of 41.1-31.9 over its opponents.
Jennifer Smith has missed the last five games due to a knee injury. Freshman guard Niki Reams did not play in Michigan's last game vs. Colorado State due to a leg injury.
Opening Tip
The University of Michigan women's basketball team (8-1, 0-0 Big Ten) has won three straight entering this weekend's (Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 28-29) four-team State Farm Classic at Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla. Michigan faces Virginia (4-4) on Saturday (5 p.m.) in the opener before Florida (6-4) and Massachusetts (8-1) square off in the nightcap. The winners will face off in the championship game (5/7:30 p.m.) on Sunday while the losers play in a consolation matchup (5/7:30 p.m.). Host Florida is slated to play at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday regardless of its fate on Saturday, so should the Gators win on Saturday the championship game will be at 7:30 p.m., but a Florida loss on Saturday would mean a 5 p.m. tip for the title game on Sunday. All four teams have been receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN Coaches' polls for much of the season.
Over the Air
Michigan's game against Virginia can be heard over the Internet, with the official website for Michigan Athletics (MgoBlue.com) providing a link to the Virginia radio broadcast. Should Michigan face Florida in the consolation or championship game, a link to Florida's radio broadcast will also be provided by MgoBlue.com.
The Opponents
Virginia (4-4): The Cavaliers opened the season 3-1, including a 63-55 win over then-No. 22 Old Dominion in the season opener, but have dropped three of four after falling at Ohio State (73-60) in their last game (Dec. 18). Guard Cherrise Graham is Virginia's leading scorer (15.4) and is shooting .435 (10-23) from the behind the arc. Virginia fell to Iowa (69-62) in the first round of last season's NCAA Tournament. Virginia on the Internet: www.virginiasports.com
Series vs. Michigan: Series tied, 1-1
Florida (6-4): After a 5-1 start the Gators have dropped three of their last four, including a 49-48 loss at Oregon State (Dec. 14) their last time out. Bernice Mosby leads Florida in scoring (15.0), while Vanessa Hayden is pulling down 9.6 rebounds. Florida is 4-0 at home. Michigan and Florida have one common opponent (UC Santa Barbara). Michigan defeated UCSB 70-64 at Crisler Arena on Nov. 25, while Florida dropped a 73-70 overtime decision at UCSB on Nov. 29. Florida on the Internet: www.gatorzone.com
Series vs. Michigan: First meeting
UMass (8-1): The Minutewomen have won six straight since losing to Michigan 91-66 on Nov. 29 at Crisler Arena. UMass has three players averaging in double figures, led by Jennifer Butler (16.4), who also is its leading rebounder (13.4). Thanks in large part to Butler, UMass outrebounds its opponents by an average of 40.1-32.2. The Minutewomen are holding their opponents to a shooting percentage of .373 (186-498) and allowing just 55.9 points as a team. UMass on the Internet: www.umassathletics.com
Series vs. Michigan: Michigan leads, 1-0
Respect
It took an 8-1 start to do it, but Michigan returns to the Associated Press Top 25 at No. 25 this week for the first time since Jan. 7, 2002, when it checked in at No. 22 before losing consecutive games to Ohio State and Penn State on the way to a 1-6 start to the Big Ten campaign. The last time Michigan was ranked in either poll was Jan. 14, 2002, when the Wolverines were No. 23 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll.
The Wolverines rose as high as No. 12 in both polls last season after opening the season 10-1. Michigan's No. 12 ranking last season was the highest in the program's history. The Wolverines are one of four Big Ten teams gracing this week's AP Top 25.
NCAA Tournament Rematch
Michigan's matchup with Virginia is a rematch of Michigan's 81-71 over victory in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2001, in South Bend, Ind. No. 8 seed Michigan trailed 33-22 at the half and by as much as 17 (43-26) in the second half before Michigan guard Alayne Ingram (1999-2002) led a Michigan comeback with 27 points -- all in the second half and overtime. Then just a freshman, Jennifer Smith came off the bench to net 20 points on 9-10 shooting. Current Wolverines who started and scored in that contest are Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS) (five points), Raina Goodlow (Detroit, Mich./Dominican HS) (nine points) and LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS) (15 points).
Tourney Teams
Colorado State represented the fourth team Michigan has played this season that made the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and the Maize and Blue is 4-0 so far against 2002 NCAA teams. Michigan will face a fifth NCAA Tournament in its game against Virginia, and a possible matchup vs. Florida in either the consolation or championship game of the State Farm Classic could give the Wolverines a sixth NCAA Tournament opponent in their 11-game non-conference slate.
| Date | Opponent | Outcome | Score |
| 11/22 | Creighton | W | 75-66 |
| 11/25 | UC Santa Barbara | W | 70-64 |
| 12/10 | at Oakland | W | 96-65 |
| 12/21 | Colorado State | W | 83-72 |
Familiar Foe
Michigan is 1-0 against the State Farm Classic field after defeating UMass 91-65 on Nov. 29 at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines shot a season-best .590 (36-61) from the field and delivered a season-best plus-11 in the assist-turnover ratio (19-8). Three Wolverines scored in double figures in the win, led by Jennifer Smith and Tabitha Pool with 20 and 17 points, respectively. LeeAnn Bies contributed 12 points as well as a season-best four blocks, while freshman guard Mie Burlin (Challotenlund, Denmark) dished out a career-best five assists.
Enjoying the Holidays
The month of December has been a kind one to the Wolverines over the last seven seasons under Sue Guevara. Michigan is a combined 34-12 (.739) in December since Guevara took over the Michigan program beginning with the 1996-97 season. Michigan is 5-1 in December this season, which is the best December the Wolverines have enjoyed since going 5-0 during the 1998-99 campaign.
| Year | Record |
| 2002-03 | 5-1 |
| 2001-02 | 6-2 |
| 2000-01 | 5-2 |
| 1999-2000 | 4-3 |
| 1998-99 | 5-0 |
| 1997-98 | 5-2 |
| 1996-97 | 4-2 |
| Total | 34-12 |
Cranking up the Offense
During Michigan's current three-game win streak, the Wolverines have turned it up on the offensive end, shooting .517 (90-174) from the field and averaging nearly 80 points (79.3). Stephanie Gandy has been the catalyst with a scoring average of 19.3 while shooting at a rate of .605 (26-43) from the field. Michigan has outscored its last three opponents by an average of 20 points (79.3-59.3).
New Lineup
Injuries to a pair of Michigan's starters -- freshman guard Niki Reams (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) and Jennifer Smith -- forced Sue Guevara to start her third different lineup of the season against Colorado State. Freshman guard Lauren Andrews (Houston, Texas/Klein Forest HS) earned her first career start in the backcourt along with fellow freshman Mie Burlin (Challotenlund, Denmark/BMS Herleb). Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) and Stephanie Gandy held down the forward spots while LeeAnn Bies started her team-best 24th straight game at center. Michigan is 4-0 with its original starting lineup of Burlin and Reams in the backcourt, Smith and Pool at the forwards and Bies in the middle.
Double-Duty
One of the surprise of the young season is the board work being done by sophomore forward Tabitha Pool, who leads the team in rebounding (7.4) after averaging just 4.2 rebounds a year ago. Pool, who averaged 7.2 points last season, has been much more consistent offensively as well, scoring in double figures in eight straight games, and despite the presence of LeeAnn Bies, who was third in the Big Ten last season with nine double-doubles, Pool leads the Wolverines in that category with four. Pool contributed just one double-double last season.
Pool's 2002-03 Season Double-Doubles
| Date | Opponent | Points-Rebounds |
| 12/1 | Detroit | 15-11 |
| 12/7 | Saint Louis | 10-11 |
| 12/14 | Seton Hall | 13-11 |
| 12/21 | Colorado State | 24-10 |
Balance
One of the reasons for Michigan's increased offensive production this season has been its balanced attack. Through their first nine games this season Michigan already has had eight different players score in double figures in a game after only seven players turned that trick over the entire 2001-02 campaign. Sophomore guard Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame Prep) was the latest Wolverines to join the club with a career-best 13-point performance against Colorado State.
Michigan Wins Third Straight
The Wolverines earned their third straight win and eighth of nine to open the season with a come-from-behind 83-72 win over Colorado State on Saturday (Dec. 21). Michigan trailed at halftime (40-39) for the first time this season but responded by shooting .593 (16-27) from the field in the second half to outscore the Rams 44-32. Tabitha Pool led the way with a game- and career-best 24 points to go with a game-high 10 rebounds. LeeAnn Bies shook off early foul trouble to score 21 points on 7-9 shooting while Stephanie Gandy added 14 points and Sierra Hauser-Price chipped in with a career-best 13 points. The Wolverines also outrebounded an opponent for the ninth straight game (40-34) and won the battle at the charity stripe (15-6).
RECORD WATCH
Assault on the Record Books
LeeAnn Bies will continue a climb to the top or near the top of the Michigan record books in several categories throughout her senior season. The 6-3 center, who was an All-Big Ten second-team selection by both the media and the coaches last season, is eighth on the Michigan career points scored list with 1,275 and is 372 points from tying Trish Andrew (1,647, 1989-93) for second on the list. The Michigan career leader for points scored is Diane Dietz (2,066, 1978-82). Already the Michigan career leader in free throws made (430), Bies stands sixth on the career list for rebounding with 701 career caroms and is 150 behind Stacey Thomas (851, 1996-2000) for second on that list. Andrew also holds that career mark with 928. Already second on the blocks list, Bies (119) is 248 behind Andrew's school record of 367. Bies also entered the career steals list at Michigan late last season and stands No. 17 on that list with 116 career thefts.
1,000-Point Chase
While LeeAnn Bies became the 15th Michigan player to reach the 1,000-point plateau for her career last season, Raina Goodlow (Detroit, Mich./Dominican HS) needs just 110 more points to become the 16th player to join that club. Goodlow averaged 264 points a season in her first three full seasons in the Maize and Blue.
Milestones Approaching
Tabitha Pool needs 12 rebounds to reach 200 for her career
Tabitha Pool's next start will be the 25th of her career
Raina Goodlow needs 10 points to reach 900 for her career
LeeAnn Bies is set to start her team-high 28th straight game against Virginia
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Bies Shines in Loss
Michigan's lone loss this season came despite one of the best individual performances of the season by a Wolverine in the 75-64 loss at Xavier (Dec. 10). LeeAnn Bies connected for a Michigan season-best 31 points on 12-16 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds for her 20th career double-double. Bies' 31 points are the second-best single-game total of her career behind a 36-point effort at Illinois on Jan. 27, 2002.
Another Ranked Foe Goes Down
The Wolverines' win over No. 24 UCSB on Nov. 25 was their 17th all-time against a ranked opponent and 15th since Sue Guevara took over the reigns at Michigan for the 1996-97 season. Guevara led the Wolverines to a school-record five wins over ranked teams during Michigan's 2000-01 season and its run to the NCAA Tournament. The following are Guevara's wins over ranked teams:
Date Ranked Opponent Score 1/9/98 No. 23 Purdue 67-59 2/8/98 No. 23 Purdue 62-60 2/28/98 No. 24 Wisconsin 79-70 1/29/99 No. 19 Ohio State 85-71 OT 1/8/00 No. 12 Purdue 74-67 1/17/00 No. 12 Illinois 86-69 2/3/00 No. 23 Illinois 70-59 11/17/00 No. 8 Louisiana Tech 69-66 1/11/01 No. 13 Penn State 71-62 2/15/01 No. 25 Iowa 80-78 2/25/01 No. 19 Penn State 75-74 3/2/01 No. 19 Penn State 66-60 12/2/01 No. 23 Notre Dame 78-63 12/16/01 No. 21 LSU 86-81 2OT 11/25/02 No. 24 UC Santa Barbara 70-64
Big Ten Slate
Instate rival Michigan State is back on the slate twice a year for the Wolverines after two straight seasons in which the schools faced each other just once. Also back on Michigan's schedule twice this season are Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin, while the Wolverines face Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State and Purdue just once. Illinois and Iowa come to Crisler Arena while Michigan travels to Purdue and Ohio State for its only meetings of the season against those schools.
Wolverine Probable Starters
Pos. No. Player Yr. Ht. PPG RPG F 1 Tabitha Pool So. 6-1 13.6 7.4 F 33 Stephanie Gandy Jr. 5-11 13.3 5.8 C 44 LeeAnn Bies Sr. 6-3 14.2 6.3 G 42 Mie Burlin Fr. 5-11 3.4 3.3* G 11 Lauren Andrews Fr. 5-9 4.7 2.5* * assists per game
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
