Michigan
7-1,0-0Big Ten
Louisville
6-1,0-0ACC
Wolverines Drop Big Ten/ACC Challenge Matchup at No. 10 Louisville
12/2/2021 9:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
» Michigan outscored Louisville 19-17 in the third quarter, marking the most points Louisville has surrendered in a quarter this year. U-M held a two-point advantage in the second half.
» Michigan held an early lead but a 13-0 run for Louisville in the latter stages of the first quarter staked Louisville a lead it never relinquished.
» Naz Hillmon (12) and Emily Kiser (10) each scored in double figures.
Site: Louisville, Ky. (KFC Yum! Center)
Event: Big Ten/ACC Challenge
Score: #10 Louisville 70, #12 Michigan 48
Records: U-M (7-1), UL (6-1)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Dec. 5 -- vs. Akron (Crisler Center), 2 p.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team fell 70-48 to the No. 10-ranked University of Louisville in a top-15 non-conference match up at the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday night (Dec. 2) in a Big Ten/ACC Challenge contest.
The Wolverines (7-1) tallied 19 points in the third quarter against Louisville (6-1), which is the most any team has scored on the Cardinals in a single quarter all season. U-M also forced the Cardinals into 19 turnovers which turned into 11 points for the Maize and Blue.
Senior Naz Hillmon once again paced the Michigan offense with 12 points, as well as adding a team-best eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Senior Emily Kiser also netted double-digit points with 10 and had four rebounds, three of which were offensive. Junior Maddie Nolan notched two steals on the defensive side of the floor and had six points, including knocking down one three-pointer.
Michigan jumped out to a 7-2 lead on a bucket from Kiser, a triple from Nolan and a Hillmon layup, but Louisville answered with a 13-0 run for a 15-7 lead. The Wolverines added one final basket from Michelle Sidor to close out the first quarter trailing 15-9.
The Cardinals controlled the tempo to start the second half, but a Kiser steal followed by a free throw and a Hillmon steal at half court with an and-one play from Kiser cut the Louisville lead to 15 with three minutes left in the first half. However, the Cardinals answered with a 9-0 run to close out the second quarter with a 39-15 lead heading into the locker room.
Kiser led the Wolverines with six points, while Hillmon added four points, three rebounds, one block and one steal, and Nolan had a triple and two steals.
Coming out of the halftime break, Michigan and Louisville matched points, with the Cardinals leading 47-25 at the media timeout with just under five minutes left in the third quarter. U-M outscored Louisville 19-17 in the third quarter behind seven points from senior Leigha Brown, but the Wolverines still had work to do in the final 10 minutes of action as it trailed Louisville 56-34 with 10 minutes left in the contest.
U-M started the fourth quarter with four quick points from Hillmon followed by back-to-back layups from Kiser, but the Wolverines could not close the gap on Louisville.
Michigan returns to Ann Arbor on Sunday (Dec. 5) when it takes on Akron at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
