Michigan
7-8, 0-2
Indiana
12-3, 1-1
Wolverines Close Calendar Year With Loss at Indiana
12/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Score: Indiana 71, Michigan 58
Records: U-M (7-8, 0-2 Big Ten), Indiana (12-3, 1-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Thursday, Jan. 4 -- vs. Illinois (Crisler Arena), 7:00 p.m.
Wolverines Close Calendar Year With Loss at Indiana
Event Recap| Boxscore| Notes & Quotes
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team put forth a valiant effort against Indiana but fell short in a 71-58 loss Sunday afternoon (Dec. 31) at Assembly Hall. The Wolverines (7-8, 0-2 Big Ten) hung tough the entire length of the contest but were unable to fully erase a 14-point deficit midway through the second half.
Sophomore Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) provided Michigan with quality minutes off the bench, as she finished with a season-high 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Freshman Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) contributed eight points and five rebounds, while senior Kelly Helvey (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) chipped in six points and six boards.
A major key to the outcome was Indiana's ability to create both second-chance scoring and free throw opportunities. The Hoosiers grabbed 19 offensive boards which resulted in 18 points, and they connected on 21 of 31 attempts from the charity stripe. U-M, on the other hand, was able to score just nine second-chance points and 11 points from the foul line.
Indiana (12-3, 1-1 Big Ten) received a lot of production from its post, with 6-7 center Sarah McKay finishing the game with a career-high 23 points on 11-of-16 shooting. IU outscored Michigan by a 34-22 margin in the paint.
The two teams found themselves separated by just a single point after the first 4:51 of play, with the Hoosiers holding a 9-8 advantage. Indiana went inside early and often, with McKay scoring eight of the team's first nine points. Helvey scored four of Michigan's first eight, converting on a layup off her own steal at midcourt before hitting a driving basket as she was falling down.
With Indiana holding a 19-14 lead, Benson came off the bench and gave U-M a huge lift by scoring the team's next seven points. Benson's third straight hoop, a driving one-hander off the window, kept the IU lead at 26-21 with 4:53 left in the first half.
That basket would be Michigan's final field goal for 3:55, while the Hoosiers built their biggest lead of the half, 35-24, with 58 seconds remaining until the break. Junior Janelle Cooper (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) connected on U-M's first triple as the shot clock was winding down, and sophomore Melinda Queen (Oak Forest, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) sank a pair of free throws in the finals seconds to send the Wolverines into the locker room trailing 37-29 at halftime.
Both teams took advantage of their free throw opportunities in the first half, with Michigan hitting seven of nine and Indiana making good on nine of 11 attempts.
The Hoosiers held the Maize and Blue scoreless for the first 3:45 of the second half while increasing their lead to 41-29. Queen broke the offensive drought with a driving hoop in transition as she was fouled. The ensuing free throw cut the IU lead to 41-32 with 16:25 to go in the game.
After Benson scored on a put-back to bring U-M within eight points (43-35), Indiana reeled off an 8-2 run to extend its lead to 51-37 with 10:06 on the clock. Michigan would not back down, however, as freshman Kalyn McPherson (Traverse City, Mich./West HS) knocked down a baseline jumper before Phillips scored four quick points to cut IU's lead to 53-43 with 8:29 left in the contest.
With U-M down 57-43, Benson and freshman Sireece Bass (Detroit, Mich./Pershing HS) drilled back-to-back triples and Helvey hit a short jumper to bring the Wolverines back within eight points at 59-51 with 5:02 left.
Unfortunately that would be as close as U-M would get, as Indiana closed out the game by scoring eight of its final 12 points from the free throw line to seal the 13-point win and remain undefeated at home this season (7-0).
Michigan returns to action this Thursday (Jan. 4) for the first of three straight Big Ten home games at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines will take on Illinois at 7 p.m., with radio coverage by WTKA (AM 1050).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
