Michigan
16-4,6-3Big Ten
Indiana
18-1,8-1Big Ten
U-M Falls Behind Early, Unable to Rally vs. No. 6 Indiana
1/23/2023 11:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team fell behind early and could not catch up, dropping a 92-83 contest to No. 6-ranked Indiana on Monday evening (Jan. 23) at Crisler Center.
U-M (16-4, 6-3 B1G) closed the Indiana (18-1, 8-1 B1G) lead to six points on a Laila Phelia three-pointer with 4:48 remaining in the game before the Hoosiers scored the next four points to push the lead back to double figures en route to the win. U-M got within six one more time with 38 seconds remaining and again with 20 ticks to go but never got closer.
Leigha Brown scored a career-best 31 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the floor, her first 30-point game as a Wolverine. Phelia went for 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting, with Emily Kiser rounding out Michigan's double-figure scorers with 15 points and five boards. Maddie Nolan and Jordan Hobbs each went for seven points as U-M shot 48.2 percent from the floor (27-for-56).
The teams traded baskets early before Indiana took an 8-4 lead with four straight points at the 6:03 mark of the first quarter. Phelia answered with a layup and Brown hit a hanging jumper in the lane to close the Indiana lead to 11-10, but IU countered with five straight points as Michigan called timeout with 3:17 left in the first period.
The Maize and Blue again got within two points, 16-14, after a pair of free throws from Brown at the 2:32 mark of the first period. The Hoosiers scored 10 of the final 12 points of the quarter for a 26-16 lead after 10 minutes of action.
Michigan got back-to-back triples from Phelia and Nolan, bringing Michigan back within four, 30-26, at the 7:15 mark of the second quarter.
U-M closed the Indiana lead to 36-32, but the Hoosiers countered by ending the quarter on a 12-6 run for a 48-38 halftime lead.
Indiana scored eight of the first 12 points out of the half, hitting back-to-back triples for a 56-42 lead in the opening minutes of the period. U-M tried to make a run several times in the quarter but could not trim the lead as Indiana grabbed a 68-56 lead after 30 minutes of action.
Brown cashed in on a pull-up jumper at the free throw to open the fourth, bringing Michigan within 10 points, 68-58. After Indiana hit a triple to beat the shot clock, Brown returned the favor to keep the margin at 10.
Phelia made good on a three-point play, 71-64 with a little over seven minutes remaining, with IU answering with four straight for a 75-64 lead; Indiana answered with a five-point spurt to regain a double-figure lead, 75-64, with 6:19 to go. U-M closed to within six three times in the final 4:48 of the game but could never get it below a two-possession game.
Michigan will kick off a two-game road swing on Thursday (Jan. 26), heading to Maryland to face the No. 10-ranked Terrapins at 6:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
