Michigan
7-2
Xavier
6-0
Wolverines Falter Late at Xavier
12/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2016
» Flaherty led the way for Michigan with 21 points, with Siera Thompson chipping in 12 and Kysre Gondrezick going for nine off the bench.
» It marks Michigan's first true road loss of the season.
Site: Cincinnati, Ohio (Cintas Center)
Score: Xavier 61, Michigan 58
Records: U-M (7-2), XU (6-0)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Dec. 9 -- at San Diego State (San Diego, Calif.), Noon PST
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team dropped its first road contest of the season, falling 61-58, to Xavier on Monday (Dec. 5) inside the Cintas Center.
Michigan took a one-point lead on a pair of free throws from junior Katelynn Flaherty with 1:02 remaining, but Xavier scored down low on the ensuing possession to regain a 59-58 lead with 47 seconds remaining. Flaherty got a good look at a baseline triple on Michigan's next possession, but it rimmed out, and the ball went to Xavier. Michigan fouled, and XU split a pair with 13 seconds left. Michigan had to go the length of the floor, and senior Siera Thompson got off a baseline runner, but it drew iron. Xavier once again split a pair of free throws with 0.7 seconds left to seal a three-point win.
Flaherty led the way for the Maize and Blue with 21 points, with Thompson going for 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. Michigan struggled from the floor, shooting 33.9 percent (20-for-59), and was outrebounded on the glass, 46-32.
After hitting the halftime break tied, Xavier scored the first four points of the third quarter. Michigan responded with an 8-0 run that featured a Thompson triple, Flaherty free throws and a three-point play by freshman Kysre Gondrezick to push U-M on top, 36-32 with 7:12 to go in the frame. Michigan grabbed a six-point lead, 40-34, on a Flaherty jumper on an out-of-bounds play to force a Xavier timeout with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
Gondrezick scored at the third-quarter buzzer on a lefty layup to send Michigan to the fourth with a 46-44 lead. Michigan fell behind early in the fourth after the Musketeers opened with two straight triples. The teams went back and forth the remainder of the period before setting up the final sequence.
Michigan wraps up its current road swing this weekend with a pair of games on the West Coast. U-M will first play at San Diego State on Friday (Dec. 9) before wrapping up the trip at UCLA on Sunday (Dec. 11).
Communications Contact: Sarah VanMetre
