Michigan
13-7, 5-4
Maryland
18-2, 9-0
Wolverines Unable to Keep Up with No. 5 Maryland
1/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2015
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Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #5 Maryland 91, Michigan 65
Records: U-M (13-7, 5-4 B1G), UMD (18-2, 9-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 1 -- at Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), 2 p.m. CST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team fell in an early hole and could not recover in a 91-65 loss to No. 5-ranked Maryland on Thursday night (Jan. 29) at Crisler Center.
Four players scored in double figures for the Wolverines, led by senior Cyesha Goree's 14 points. Senior Shannon Smith and freshman Katelynn Flaherty had 13 points apiece, while sophomore Siera Thompson chipped in with 12. Senior Nicole Elmblad had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds, and Thompson and Smith each dished out five assists.
The Terps scored the first nine points of the game, forcing a Michigan timeout at the 18:30 mark and eventually took an 11-0 lead. Goree scored Michigan's first basket at the 18:03 mark, and the Wolverines pulled within five, 13-8, on Thompson's layup of the glass with 16:07 remaining in the frame.
Thompson and junior Madison Ristovski hit back-to-back triples for the Wolverines, pulling Michigan within one, 17-16, and resulting in Maryland timeout with 13:29 to go before the half.
Maryland pushed its lead back to seven points, 27-20, on a steal and score with 8:01 left before the half, but Thompson scored on Michigan's next possession to keep the deficit at five.
The Terrapins took their largest lead of the first half with 1:41 remaining on a three-point play, going up by 17 points (46-29).
Flaherty scored on a fast-break layup right before the halftime buzzer, cutting Maryland's lead to 12, 48-36. Goree led the charge offensively for the Wolverines in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Thompson went for nine points and four assists, with Smith and Flaherty each chipping in six points. Maryland shot 54.3 percent (19-for-35) from the field, compared to a 47.1-percent clip (16-for-34) for the Wolverines. The Terps won the battle on the glass, 21-14.
A Thompson triple that dropped in at the 16:55 mark of the second half resulted in a Michigan timeout with the Wolverines trailing, 57-43.
Flaherty scored five straight points to bring Michigan back within nine, 57-48, as Maryland called timeout with 14:38 left in the contest. The Terps scored four quick points of their own to regain a 13-point lead, 61-48, with 14:04 to go.
Michigan cut the lead to 12 points, 68-56, on a Smith jumper with 8:46 on the clock, but Maryland answered with a 12-2 run for an 80-58 lead with 4:37 left.
The Terps led by as many as 28 points the rest of the way en route to the 26-point win.
The Wolverines return to the court on Sunday (Feb. 1), traveling to Nebraska to take on the Huskers. Tip is set for 2 p.m. CST in Lincoln.
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre (734) 763-4423
