Michigan
13-6,4-3Big Ten
Rutgers
6-15,0-8Big Ten
Wolverines Grind Out Win at Rutgers
1/21/2024 5:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Lauren Hansen hit a right-corner triple with just over one minute remaining to stop a late Rutgers run as the University of Michigan women's basketball team defeated the Scarlet Knights 56-50 on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 21) at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Michigan (13-6, 4-3 Big Ten) took its largest lead of the game, 47-37, on a steal-and-score from Hansen with 4:24 remaining. Rutgers countered with a 10-2 run, cutting the Michigan lead to two, 49-47, with 2:18 to go. Michigan came up empty on its next possession, but Laila Phelia got a steal and then found Hansen in the corner for the triple with just 1:03 remaining. Phelia made two free throws after Rutgers was forced to foul for a 54-47 advantage with just 17 ticks left. RU hit a triple but could not get any closer as Elissa Brett hit a pair at the line to provide the 56-50 margin.
Phelia was magnificent in the contest, recording 25 points, six boards and that assist to Hansen in 40 minutes of action. Hansen joined Phelia in double figures with 12 points, with Taylor Woodson chipping in five off the bench. Nine of the 10 Wolverines who saw the floor found the scoring column as Michigan saw contributions up and down the lineup. Michigan forced 21 turnovers in the contest, resulting in 21 points for the Maize and Blue.
Rutgers struck first, but Michigan answered with five straight points on a hook shot from Cameron Williams and a transition triple from Phelia for a 5-2 lead with 8:49 on the first-quarter clock. After RU regained a 6-5 lead, U-M used a 7-0 run that featured five points from Phelia and a jumper from Greta Kampschroeder to double up the Scarlet Knights 12-6 with just over three minutes remaining in the period.
Michigan got 10 first-quarter points from Phelia for a 16-10 lead after 10 minutes. The second quarter got off to a slow start for both teams, with just four points being scored between the two over the first five minutes. U-M's lead never dipped below four in the quarter, with Woodson scoring Michigan's last five points for a 25-18 U-M lead at the half.
The Scarlet Knights scored four of the first five points of the third quarter, trimming Michigan's lead to 26-22. Hansen hit a triple off a baseline out-of-bounds play to stop the run, pushing U-M back ahead by seven, 29-22, with just under seven minutes remaining in the third.
Rutgers slowly chipped away at Michigan's lead, as U-M only made two field goals in the third quarter for a 34-30 U-M advantage after 30 minutes of action.
Jordan Hobbs scored on a putback on Michigan's first possession of the fourth quarter, as U-M scored four of the first five points. A Rutgers three-pointer brought the Scarlet Knights back within four, but five straight points from Phelia pushed the Wolverine lead to 43-34, at the 6:16 mark of the fourth quarter. After a Rutgers timeout, the Scarlet Knights hit a triple to climb back within six, 43-37, at the 5:13 mark.
Michigan again had an answer as Chyra Evans made good on a layup and Hansen got a steal-and-score to give U-M its largest lead of the game, 47-37, with 4:24 left in the contest to set up the final sequence.
Michigan returns to home action on Wednesday (Jan. 24), hosting Maryland at 7 p.m. at Crisler Center. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
