Michigan
3-0
Miami (Fla.)
1-2
Michigan Pounds Hurricanes at Big Ten/ACC Challenge
11/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Coral Gables, Fla. (BankUnited Center)
Score: Michigan 65, Miami (Fla.) 50
Records: U-M (3-0), Miami (Fla.) (1-2)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Nov. 23 -- vs. Iowa State at Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.), 4 p.m. CST
Boxscore | Postgame Notes
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- The University of Michigan womens basketball team earned an impressive 65-50 victory over Miami (Fla.) Monday evening (Nov. 19) at the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Challengeat the BankUnited Center. The Wolverines erased an early seven-point deficit by stringing together a 29-5 run in the final 9:31 of the first half to establish a double-digit lead that would stand for the remainder of the game. U-M is now 3-0 for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
Four Wolverines finished the game scoring in double figures, led by senior Ta'Shia Walkers(Lansing, Mich./J.W. Sexton HS) game-high 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Junior Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) put forth a gritty performance with 14 points in 40 minutes, while senior Janelle Cooper(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) contributed 13 points, a team-high seven rebounds and a career-best five assists. Junior Carly Benson(Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, and senior Krista Clement(St. Ignace, Mich./LaSalle HS) dished out a game-high seven assists for the second time in a week.
Michigan went to the outside shot early in the game, with Cooper and Minnfield draining back-to-back triples in the first 2:43 of action to help the Wolverines jump out to a 6-2 lead. With the Wolverines holding a 10-6 advantage at 14:40, the Hurricanes hit three straight triples during an 11-0 run to claim a 17-10 lead with 11:29 remaining in the first half.
The Maize and Blue found its rhythm and reeled off the 29-5 run in the remaining minutes of the first half to take a 39-22 lead into the break. Michigan did a brilliant job with its offensive execution, knocking down shots from all over the floor while recording assists on all 10 of its field goals during the outburst. The U-M defense did its part as well during the surge, limiting Miami to just 15 percent shooting (2-of-13), forcing seven turnovers and holding the Hurricanes without a field goal for the last 4:31 of the half.
The Wolverines finished the first half shooting blistering numbers of 60 percent from the field (15-of-25) and 64 percent (7-of-11) from long distance. Cooper and Walker combined for 20 first-half points, with the duo knocking down a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range.
A basket inside by sophomore Krista Phillips(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) at the 15:48 mark of the second half extended the U-M lead to a game-high 22 points, 50-28, but the Hurricanes responded with nine unanswered points to cut the deficit to 50-35 with 11:52 to go.
Walker provided the Wolverines with a much-needed triple at 11:33, while Benson found her stroke and accounted for Michigans next eight points to push the lead to 61-41 with 7:25 to go.
The Maize and Blue sustained its intensity for the remainder of the contest, never allowing Miami closer than 15 points of the lead.
The Wolverines continue their six-game road stretch Friday (Nov. 23) against Iowa State in the first round of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament. The game is set for a 4 p.m. CST tip at the Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn., and can be heard live on radio station WLBY (AM 1290).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
