Michigan
12-6 (5-3)
Indiana
12-8 (5-3)
Michigan Remains Perfect at Home With Big Win Over Indiana
1/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: Michigan 65, Indiana 54
Records: U-M (12-6, 5-3 Big Ten), Indiana (12-8, 5-3 Big Ten)
Next Game: Sunday, Jan. 27 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 2:06 p.m. CST, Big Ten Network
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team extended its home winning streak to eight games thanks to a solid 65-54 victory over Indiana Thursday evening (Jan. 24)at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines (12-6, 5-3 Big Ten) did a good job of adjusting their motion offense to the Hoosiers various defensive looks, as U-M finished the game shooting 51 percent (24-of-47) from the field. Another factor in the outcome was Michigans ability to outwork Indiana on the glass (36-32) and limit an IU frontcourt that was averaging 35 points heading into the game to just 21.
Junior Carly Benson(Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) poured in a game-high 22 points, including 17 in the second half, on 7-of-10 shooting. She hit three triples (3-of-5) for the fourth time in five games and added a career-high five assists and four rebounds in 34 minutes. Sophomore Krista Phillips(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate HS) posted her second straight double-double, finishing with 16 points and 10 boards in 30 minutes. Junior Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic HS) chipped in 13 points, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, and dished out three assists in 35 minutes. Senior Janelle Cooper(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) totaled 11 points and matched a career best with eight rebounds in 37 minutes.
Freshman Veronica Hicks(Chicago, Ill./Thornwood HS), who played a key role in Michigan's strong first half, finished with two points, two rebounds, two steals and one assist in 12 minutes off the bench.
The Wolverines converted on their first two possessions of the game, with Phillips scoring inside before Minnfield drilled a triple at 18:45 to give U-M a 5-2 lead. With the game tied at 7-7, Cooper stepped up and scored six of the team's points during a 10-2 run that gave Michigan a 17-9 advantage with 10:35 to play in the first half.
A three-pointer by Jamie Braun broke a 3:30 scoring drought for Indiana and cut the U-M lead to five points, but the Wolverines maintained their intensity and went on a 7-2 run over the next 3:21 to extend their lead to 24-14. The run saw Phillips deliver the ball to a darting Hicks for her first career basket at Michigan.
Hicks later found Cooper for a triple in the corner at 4:17, and Minnfield canned her second bucket from long range less than a minute later to help send the Wolverines into halftime with a 30-20 lead.
U-M finished the first half shooting 50 percent (13-of-26) from the field. Cooper posted nine points and four boards to lead Michigan. The Wolverines tallied assists on all but three of their baskets in the first 20 minutes.
The Hoosiers opened the second half with an 8-2 run to trim the U-M lead to 32-28 with 17:22 to play, but the Wolverines responded with a 13-5 surge of their own to push their lead back up to 45-34 at 8:43.
Michigans steady execution in the post paved the way for Benson, who got herself open on the perimeter and canned three straight triples over a span of 2:05 to extend the lead to 14 points, 55-41, with 4:45 left in the contest.
Indiana tried to draw out the clock by fouling in the late minutes, but Benson and Minnfield capitalized on their free throw opportunities to put the game out of reach.
The Wolverines head back out on the road to face Iowa on Sunday (Jan. 27) in Iowa City, Iowa. The game, which is set for a 2:06 p.m. CST startat Carver-Hawkeye Arena, will be televised by the Big Ten Network and can be heard live on radio station WLBY (AM 1290).
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
