Michigan
14-11, 6-8
Northwestern
19-6, 9-5
Wolverines Drop One-Point Heartbreaker to Northwestern
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 14, 2015
• Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: Northwestern 63, Michigan 62
Records: U-M (14-11, 6-8 B1G), NU (19-6, 9-5 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Wednesday, Feb. 18 -- vs. Indiana (Crisler Center), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite double-digit scoring efforts from sophomore Siera Thompson (15 points), senior Shannon Smith (14 points) and freshman Katelynn Flaherty (10 points), the University of Michigan women's basketball team could not hold off Northwestern, falling 63-62, on Saturday (Feb. 14) inside Crisler Center. Northwestern took its only lead of the game with 4.4 seconds remaining en route to the one-point win.
Smith registered her second double-double of the season, finishing with 14 points and 10 assists to go along with four rebounds and two steals. Thompson added three rebounds, an assist and a steal to her 15 points, while senior Cyesha Goree missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Michigan shot 37.3 percent (22-for-59) from the floor, compared to 48.1 percent (25-for-52) for the Wildcats. Michigan outrebounded NU, 38-32.
Michigan raced out to a 9-0 lead on two straight Thompson buckets, a Goree three-point play and a Smith floater with 17:28 to go in the first. The Wolverines took their first double-figure lead of the game on a Thompson triple just 4:20 into the game as U-M started six-for-six from the field.
The Wildcats got within six points with 7:48 left, but another Thompson trey upped Michigan's lead back to nine, 28-19, with 6:45 to go.
NU got within five points, 31-26, with 3:36 left before Michigan scored eight straight points to regain a double-digit lead. Thompson's layup with 2:36 sparked the run, as Michigan's remaining six points came on free throws from Danielle Williams, Nicole Elmblad, Smith and Flaherty. Williams split a pair with 1:02 remaining to cap the run for a 39-26 U-M lead.
Northwestern hit a three on its final possession of the half to send Michigan to the locker room with a 39-29 lead. Thompson led the way for Michigan, going for 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Smith had nine points, six assists and three rebounds in the first 20 minutes, as Goree had seven points and four rebounds. Flaherty chipped in five points off the bench as Michigan shot 46.7 percent (14-for-30) from the floor in the first half. Michigan held a 19-14 edge on the glass and forced eight turnovers in the first half.
Flaherty knocked down a left-wing triple with 14:05 left, helping Michigan regain an 11-point lead, 51-40. The Wildcats went on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 51 with 10:58 to go.
Michigan broke a 6:03 scoring drought on a pair of junior Madison Ristovski free throws at the 8:00 mark, giving Michigan back a 53-51 lead. Freshman Jillian Dunston scored on a feed from Smith to push the lead to four points with 6:59 remaining.
Thompson hit another three-pointer for 58-55 lead with 5:01 to go. Michigan pushed its lead back to three points when Smith found Flaherty in transition for an 18-footer, keeping the U-M advantage at three, 60-57, with 3:18 to go.
Goree hit a pair of free throws with 2:26 left to give U-M a five-point lead at 62-57. The Wildcats cut the lead to one (62-61) with 18 seconds left and were forced to foul on the inbounds. Ristovski could not convert her pair, but Goree was fouled after grabbing the offensive rebound. She stepped to the line for two free throws of her own, but she could not convert. Northwestern's Nia Coffey grabbed the rebound, drove the length of the floor and made a layup to give the Wildcats its first and only lead of the day (63-62). Michigan had one final chance, but Smith's contested jumper fell short.
Michigan stays at Crisler for its next contest, hosting Indiana on Wednesday (Feb. 18) at 7 p.m. [ Tickets ]
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