Michigan
Athletes in Action (ex)
Michigan Wins Nailbiter Over Athletes in Action
11/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: Michigan 64, Athletes in Action 62 (exhibition)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 11 -- vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Crisler Arena), 8 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team pulled out a 64-62 exhibition victory over Athletes in Action Wednesday night (Nov. 1) at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines erased a nine-point halftime deficit, thanks to a 13-3 scoring run in the first five minutes of the second stanza -- but AIA stayed in contention, and was within striking distance until the very end. With U-M leading by two in the final seconds, senior Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) blocked an attempt at a tie from the top of the key to preserve the Maize and Blue win.
Freshman Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) led a trio Michigan players scoring in double figures, knocking down six of seven from the field for a team-high 12 points. Fellow classmate LeQuisha Whitfield (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) contributed 10 points and a game-high five assists.
Helvey finished with an all-around solid performance, posting team-high totals in rebounds (nine) and blocks (two), in addition to six points on three-of-four shooting. Sophomore Melinda Queen (Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) gave the Wolverines a spark off the bench, finishing with nine points and five boards.
The opening 10 minutes of the contest saw Michigan jump out of the gates, quickly building a 23-9 advantage. Junior Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) knocked down an early triple, and Phillips' good looks down low resulted in eight early points.
Athletes in Action responded with a 31-6 scoring run over the final 10 minutes of the first half to earn its biggest lead of the night, 40-29, with 21 seconds left until the break. A bucket from junior Ta'Shia Walker (Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) with four ticks remaining sent Michigan into the locker room trailing 40-31 at the half.
The Wolverines again worked the ball down into the post to gain the early momentum in the second half. After back-to-back buckets by Phillips put U-M within striking distance, the Wolverines used a 6-0 run to regain a 44-43 lead with 15:14 remaining in the game. Michigan would extend its lead to as many as eight points over the next 10 minutes of action.
Athletes in Action clawed back, trailing by just four points with 3:02 left on the clock, but Minnfield nailed her second three-pointer of the half, and followed with a pair of free throws, propelling the Wolverines to a 64-55 advantage with 1:31 to go.
Athletes in Action would not back down, scoring seven unanswered points to trim the U-M lead to 64-62 with 25 seconds left. Cooper had a chance to ice the game from the line with 12 seconds remaining, but she misfired on both attempts, giving AIA a shot at the win or a tie. Athletes in Action pushed the ball up the floor and rushed a long two from the top of the key, but Helvey stuffed the shot away to give Michigan the win.
It marked the second straight year that the Maize and Blue pulled out a narrow victory over Athletes in Action. Last season, Krista Clement (St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) hit a triple with seven seconds left to allow U-M to escape with a 65-64 exhibition win (Nov. 1, 2005).
The Wolverines begin the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 11) against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Crisler Arena.
