Michigan
Rutgers
Michigan Falls at Rutgers in Preseason WNIT Semifinals
11/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team suffered its first loss under new coach Cheryl Burnett and in doing so was knocked out of the Preseason WNIT in a 65-50 semifinal-round defeat at 15th-ranked Rutgers tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 19) at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.
Michigan senior center Jennifer Smith (Lansing, Mich./DeWitt HS) just missed out on a double-double, providing team bests with 16 points and nine boards, but 14 of her 16 points came in the second frame. Junior Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) was the only other Wolverine in double figures with 11 as Michigan was held to .333 (16-48) shooting from the field, including .286 (8-28) in the final frame.
Freshman Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) opened the game's scoring with her second career triple and gave Michigan an early 3-0 lead. The lead was short-lived because Rutgers answered with a 9-0 run and maintained that lead throughout the remainder of the first frame.
Michigan senior and leading scorer Stephanie Gandy (Detroit, Mich./Northern HS) broke the Scarlet Knight run with her first hoop of the game to cut the deficit to four (9-5) at the 15:38 mark, but Rutgers came right back with its second big run of the game, outscoring the Maize and Blue 14-4 over a 7:24 period for a first half-best 14-point lead (23-9) at the 8:14 mark.
Again, it was Gandy breaking up a Rutgers run, this time drilling a triple with 7:58 left to spark Michigan's first real run of the game. Pool joined the party, scoring four points during an 11-3 Wolverine run over the next 3:26 that cut the deficit to six (26-20). However, the Wolverines managed just a Gandy offensive board and put-back over the final 4:32 and took an eight-point disadvantage (30-22) into the locker room.
Gandy picked right up where she left off in the first half, tallying the first two points of the second frame. Pool also added three early points in the second half and actually cut the deficit to five (34-29) for the closet the Wolverines had been since trailing 9-5 in the early going. The Wolverines had to feel good about being down just five with 15 minutes left in the ballgame since Smith had been held to just two points. Smith finally collected her second hoop of the game to keep Michigan within five at 36-31.
The hoop started Smith on a roll as she netted 14 straight Michigan points over the next 10-plus minutes. However, Rutgers answered Smith's run with 20 points of their own during that same stretch, which allowed the Scarlet Knights to extend their lead to 13 (56-43) with under five minutes left. Helvey knocked down another triple and Niki Reams (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) converted a pair of free throws as Michigan crept back within single digits (57-48) with under three minutes left.
That was as close as the Wolverines would get, managing just a late two-pointer from Rachael Carney (Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) for the 65-50 final.
Michigan will play again in less than 48 hours when it faces 2003 NCAA Tournament participant Western Michigan on Friday (Nov. 21, 2 p.m.) at Crisler Arena. The afternoon tipoff is part of a field trip promotion for all Ann Arbor area fourth- and fifth-graders to experience Michigan women's basketball.
N O T E S
The Wolverines were outscored at the charity stripe (17-15) for the first time this season.
Kelly Helvey added career bests with three assists and three steals.
Cheryl Burnett is now 5-3 all-time in the Preseason WNIT, losing in the semifinals for the second time in three tries.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
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