Michigan
-2
UCLA
5-2
Michigan Drops Home Contest to No. 20 UCLA
12/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2015
» Freshman Hallie Thome scored a career-high 24 points on 11-for-14 shooting to go with seven boards and a block.
» UCLA was Michigan's first ranked opponent of the season, coming in at No. 20 in the AP poll.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: #20 UCLA 86, U-M 77
Records: U-M (7-2), UCLA (5-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Dec. 19 -- vs. Miami (Ohio) (Crisler Center), 2:30 p.m.
• Kornacki Postgame Feature: Thome Becoming a Force
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team closed the gap to four points with 6:52 left, but No. 20 UCLA scored eight straight points to put the contest away in an 86-77 Bruin victory on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 13) inside Crisler Center.
Freshman Hallie Thome scored a career-best 24 points on 11-for-14 shooting while also leading U-M in rebounding with seven boards. Sophomore Katelynn Flaherty went for 20 points in 39 minutes of action, and freshman Nicole Munger chipped in 15 points off the bench. U-M shot 50.0 percent (33-for-66) from the floor, but UCLA held a 45-27 advantage on the glass, scoring 16 second-chance points.
Facing an 11-point deficit to begin the fourth quarter, Michigan went on a 10-3 run to close within four points, 69-65, with 6:52 on the clock off a Thome layup. UCLA responded by scoring eight straight points to regain a 12-point lead, 77-65, at the 4:41 mark. The Maize and Blue got within eight with under a minute left, but the Bruins held on for the win.
U-M came out of the intermission and scored the first five points on a Flaherty triple and a junior Siera Thompson jumper to regain a 35-34 lead with 8:52 on the clock. The teams went back and forth for the next several minutes until the Bruins stretched their lead to 11 points, 62-51, with 1:01 left as Michigan was forced to call timeout.
The Maize and Blue took a three-point lead off a Thome three-point play at the 4:15 mark of the second quarter, 28-25. UCLA closed the period on a 9-2 run to hit halftime with a 34-30 lead. Thome led the way for the Wolverines in the first 20 minutes, going for 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Munger chipped in seven points off the bench, and Flaherty had six as Michigan shot 37.1 percent (13-for-35) from the floor in the half. UCLA held a 23-19 advantage on the glass.
U-M fell in a quick 7-0 hole to start the game but worked back to take a 19-17 lead after one quarter on the strength of seven points off the bench for Munger.
Michigan continues its two-game homestand on Saturday (Dec. 19), hosting Miami (Ohio) at 2:30 p.m. [ Tickets ]
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Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre
