Defend the Block: Barnes Arico on Building Upon Success, Big Ten, Return of Fans

This week on "Defend the Block" Brian Boesch catches up with Michigan women's basketball head coach Kim Barnes Arico about the busy offseason for her and the program, her thoughts on some of the key players on this season's team, and her early analysis of the Big Ten heading into 2021-22.

By Kyle Terwillegar

Last season was a year unlike any other in program history for the University of Michigan women's basketball team and head coach Kim Barnes Arico.

Set against the backdrop of a world changed by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and the threats and realities of postponements and cancellations, the 2020-21 campaign had it all: a thrilling run to the team's first-ever Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament, a rollicking overtime heartbreaker against Baylor, the team's highest NCAA Tournament seed at No. 6, and a 50-point explosion from star Naz Hillmon that made waves around the world of sports, among so much more.

Well, it had almost everything, anyway. Each of those moments came and went with but a lucky few family and friends in attendance as a public health measure to help mitigate the spread of the pandemic.

"I think we've had such tremendous support, and I think our fan base has really increased the last couple years," said Barnes Arico in the latest episode of the "Defend the Block" podcast with host Brian Boesch. "It was such a bummer that they didn't get to celebrate last season with us, so to have them back and to have them be able to celebrate our senior class this year but also what we were able to accomplish last year and our young ones moving forward will be really special.

"There's no place like home, there's nothing like putting on that Michigan uniform and walking out into Crisler (Center), and that's something that we talked to our student-athletes about all the time. To be a part of that incredible atmosphere and incredible culture and the incredible community that is Michigan is really special."

Barnes Arico's Wolverines and the Michigan faithful will be reunited in person in just over a month's time as Crisler Center hosts an exhibition showdown between U-M and Grand Valley State on Nov. 4, followed by the proper season opener Nov. 9 against IUPUI.

Though the Wolverine squad fans will see in early November and moving forward will look very familiar to the one that captured their hearts and imaginations last winter -- with the notable exceptions of departed key contributors Hailey Brown and Akienreh Johnson -- Barnes Arico is cognizant of how her team is adjusting and transitioning out of last year's phase of pandemic life into what is becoming a "new normal."

"Our sophomores are truly freshmen in so many ways," she said. "I have [a son who is] a sophomore in college and I feel like it's his freshman year because he didn't really have a season last year.

"Well, our kids had a season, but there were so many things that were not typical of their freshman year, so they're going through a lot of the same stuff that our freshman class is. So it's almost as if, to me, we have seven new people and eight returners -- six of whom are experienced -- so it's two teams almost and we're trying to jell the new kids with the experienced group."

Led by the program's first All-American in Hillmon and NCAA Tournament star Leigha Brown, and supported in expanded roles by Amy Dilk, Danielle Rauch, Emily Kiser and Maddie Nolan, among others -- all of whose roles and expectations Barnes Arico discussed in the latest "Defend the Block" -- the Wolverines will look to complete the jelling process in time to take on what Barnes Arico anticipates will be the best-ever iteration of the Big Ten Conference for women's basketball.

"I think the Big Ten is stronger and deeper than it's ever been, and I know I've said that every year, but pretty much in my last four or five years here it's continued to improve," she said. "I think the world recognized that last year four Big Ten teams went to the Sweet Sixteen. I mean how incredible is that? So many times you hear about SEC women's basketball or the ACC, and here we are representing with four teams in the Sweet Sixteen."

The depth of the conference extends well beyond the likes of her own Michigan squad and fellow Sweet Sixteen qualifiers Iowa, Maryland and Indiana, the latter of which advanced to the Elite Eight.

"We had two people move on and graduate, but pretty much, especially with [the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of] COVID, every single team has everyone back so everyone is going to be much improved without question," she said.

Scouting every team in the conference during the preseason with the mindset that anyone could be a contender is something Barnes Arico believes may well pay dividends when the stakes are much higher during both the regular season and postseason.

"I think it's important with a new staff that is not coming from our league to really be doing their homework on our conference," she said. "To really learn the intricacies of each team and their styles and their tendencies, because it might come down to possessions in each and every single game. How can we get a leg up and how can we be prepared for the greatest conference in the country?"

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