Michigan
4-0
Missouri
3-2
Michigan Wallops 21st-Ranked Missouri to Kick Off Gulf Coast Showcase
11/23/2018 10:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan opened the game on a 9-0 run and never looked back in the win.
» Deja Church scored a career-high 15 points, including buzzer-beaters to end the first, second and third quarters. Nicole Munger (11) and Hallie Thome (10) joined her in double figures.
» The win is Michigan's first over a ranked opponent this season.
Site: Estero, Fla. (Hertz Arena)
Event: Gulf Coast Showcase (Quarterfinals)
Score: Michigan 70, #21 Missouri 54
Records: U-M (4-0), Mizzou (3-2)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 24 -- vs. No. 10 Texas - Gulf Coast Showcase Semifinals (Estero, Fla.), 7:30 p.m.
ESTERO, Fla. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball opened the game on a 9-0 run and never looked back in a 70-54 win over No. 21-ranked Missouri in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Friday evening (Nov. 23) at Hertz Arena. It was Michigan's first win over a ranked opponent this season.
Sophomore Deja Church led a trio of double-figure scorers, going for a career-best 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting with four rebounds and two assists. Senior Nicole Munger scored 11 points, with classmate Hallie Thome chipping in 10 points. U-M shot 46.3 percent (25-for-54) from the floor in the contest and outrebounded the Tigers, 42-28.
Michigan opened the game on a 9-0 run, getting five points from sophomore Hailey Brown, two from Thome and two from Munger to force a Missouri timeout with 6:51 left in the frame.
Church scored in the waning seconds of the first quarter, giving Michigan a 15-7 lead after one. The Wolverines scored the first six points of the second on baskets from Munger, junior Akienreh Johnson and Thome to force a Missouri timeout at the 8:21 mark with Michigan leading, 20-7.
Michigan continued its run from there, getting a Church triple followed by a jumper from Kayla Robbins to grab a 32-12 lead with 3:08 remaining in the second.
Church hit a 60-foot shot at the halftime buzzer, sending Michigan to the locker room with a 37-14 lead. Church led the way in the first half, scoring 11 points with three boards. Thome chipped in eight as Michigan shot 44.8 percent (13-for-29) from the floor and grabbed 24 rebounds. The U-M defense held Missouri to 17.2 percent (5-for-29) shooting from the floor and forced 10 Tiger miscues over the first 20 minutes.
Tweet of the Game
Check out the halftime buzzer beater from @DejaChurchXo! #goblue #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/6F1De1CeQl
— Michigan Women's Basketball (@umichwbball) November 24, 2018
The Wolverines came out of the half strong to prevent Missouri from making a run. Michigan scored the final four points of the third quarter, with freshman Naz Hillmon making good after a steal in the backcourt and Church getting the friendly roll on a jumper in the lane as time expired. U-M hit the fourth quarter with a 57-30 lead.
Following a pair of free throws from freshman Amy Dilk with an even seven minutes left, Missouri hit back-to-back triples to force a U-M timeout with 6:22 left. Robbins hit a corner jumper on one end and took a charge on the other, pushing Michigan's lead back to 22, 61-39, with 5:34 left.
Michigan's lead never dipped below 16 the rest of the way in the 16-point win.
The Wolverines will face No. 10 Texas in tomorrow's (Saturday, Nov. 23) semifinals at 7:30 p.m.
