Michigan
Minnesota
Wolverines Close Regular Season with Loss to Minnesota
3/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team made a second-half run at 13th-ranked Minnesota this afternoon (Sunday, March 2) but could not pull off the upset on Senior Day at Crisler Arena, dropping a 75-63 decision. The Wolverines (12-15, 3-13 Big Ten) finish the Big Ten regular season tied for 10th place with Northwestern, but Michigan will be the 11th seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will face sixth-seeded Illinois in first-round action on Thursday (March 6, 8 p.m.) from Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
The Maize and Blue was led today by junior Jennifer Smith (Lansing, Mich./DeWitt HS), who had 15 points and three rebounds, while sophomore Tabitha Pool (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) collected 13 points and 10 boards for a double-double. Both Niki Reams (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) and departing senior LeeAnn Bies (Lakeview, Mich./Lakeview HS) added 10 points.
Michigan scored the first points of the game on a pair of free throws by Smith before the Wolverines and Gophers exchanged baskets over the next three minutes for an 8-7 Michigan lead with 14:18 left to play in the first. Pool scored a hoop for the Wolverine to knot the score at 10 with 13:42 to play, but Minnesota then took off on an 8-2 run to grab an 18-12 lead. The Golden Gophers pushed their lead to double figures when Corrin Von Wald hit a triple for a 26-14 lead with under five minutes to play in the half. Michigan got a basket from Pool to cut the Gopher lead back to 10.
Minnesota starters Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville picked up their second fouls late in the first half, however, and Michigan immediately took advantage. Minnesota's lead had grown to 15 (31-16) with 3:08 left in the half, but Bies scored off an offensive rebound with 2:48 left to ignite an 8-0 Michigan run to close out the half and trim the deficit to seven (31-24). Smith and Pool each contributed six points, but the Wolverines shot just .381 from the field and turned the ball over 12 times.
Minnesota stormed out of the gates in the second half, hitting a variety of looks from the perimeter, but Michigan would not go away as Smith scored two quick hoops. Pool hit a big three-pointer to swing the momentum back the Wolverines' way with 17:19 to play and cut the Gopher lead to just six at 39-33.
The Wolverines deficit was still seven (53-46) after Reams drove to the hoop wit h 11:03 to play and tossed in a layup between two defenders. Minnesota, however answered with a 4-0 spurt to gain an 11-point lead (57-46) from which Michigan never really challenged.
Sierra Hauser-Price (Van Nuys, Calif./Notre Dame Prep) came off the bench to get a steal and took it the length of the court to bring Michigan back within nine (59-50) and then Rachael Carney (Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) split a pair of free throws to shave the deficit to eight (59-51) with 5:58 to play, but Minnesota scored the next two hoops and the deficit never again dipped below double digits.
The Gophers shot .550 (7-12) from behind the arc and outrebounded the Wolverines 30-26 en route to the 76-63 victory in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Michigan moves on to the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday (March 6, 8 p.m.) and will face Illinois, with the winner matching up against third-seeded Purdue on Saturday (March 7, 8:30 p.m.) in the quarterfinals.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Sue Guevara
On the game overall ... "I think their trap rattled us in the first half a little bit. When (Janel) McCarville got her second foul we tried to get the ball inside, but our post players had a little bit of foul trouble also. I thought our perimeter players gave Minnesota some trouble but the difference was they were scoring on a more consistant basis. We did a nice job of penetrating and getting at the basket but we struggled to finish and we missed too many layups. Defensively we had a couple miscommunications, and when you leave Minnesota's shooters open they will make you pay."
Minnesota Head Coach Pam Borton
On the game overall ... "This was a great team effort by our team. We had different people who stepped up and that is what is great about our team. It's not just one or two individuals that make the difference. Corrin (Von Wald) stepped up in the first half when we had some people in foul trouble. Kadidja (Andersson) came up with some big rebounds and Shannon Schonrock stepped up in the second half and had a career high for us when we were struggling a little bit in the second half. Overall, I think it was a great team effort and I think that is why we are such a great team."
N O T E S
Tabitha Pool scored 13 points and 10 rebounds for her team leading seventh double-double of the season.
Niki Reams provided a career-best six assists.
This was the first time that the Wolverines had four scorers in double figures since they had six against Penn State on Jan. 26.
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
