Wolverines to Head to Florida for Fort Myers Tip-Off

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team (5-1) will hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday, heading to Florida to participate in the Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. U-M will face Belmont on Friday (Nov. 29) at 2 p.m. and will then square off against Virginia Tech or Davidson on Saturday (Nov. 30).

Notes

• Michigan is heading to the state of Florida for a tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday for the third time in the last four years. U-M went 2-0 at the Daytona Beach Invitational in 2021-22, knocking off Oregon State and Mississippi State. Michigan followed that up by winning the 2022 Gulf Coast Showcase during the 2022-23 season, knocking off Air Force, USF and Baylor. This is the first time Michigan is playing in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

• U-M's two games can be seen on the Women's Sports Network. More information about how to access the app can be found on the Women's Sports Network Website.

• Michigan has won five straight games for the first time since winning nine straight to open the 2022-23 season (Nov. 9-Dec. 4). Over the stretch, Michigan has been scoring 96.0 points per game on 51.7 percent shooting while holding opponents to 49.2 points per game on 34.5 percent shooting.

• Michigan received 51 points in this week's poll, landing just outside the Associated Press Top 25. With 51 points, U-M is just seven points behind No. 25 Nebraska. There are eight Big Ten teams in the poll, with another four teams receiving votes.

• Michigan scored 111 points against Long Beach State (Nov. 24), the third-most points in program history. It was the most points scored since U-M scored 119 against USC Upstate on Nov. 23, 2015. Michigan is now third in the Big Ten in scoring average at 90.3 points per game as one of three schools averaging at least 90 points per game. Michigan had six players score in double figures in that game for just the third time since 2016.

• There are plenty of connections in the Shell Division for Michigan. Virginia Tech is coached by former Michigan assistant Megan Duffy, who also had current U-M assistant Justine Raterman on her coaching staff at Marquette (2019-24). Belmont's Emily La Chapell played two seasons at Marquette for Raterman, with Women's Sports Network analyst Chloe Marotta playing four seasons at Marquette as well. Duffy coached with head coach Kim Barnes Arico at St. John's and Michigan before taking the head coaching position at Miami (Ohio).

• After missing the first five games of the season, freshman Te'Yala Delfosse made her Michigan debut against Long Beach State (Nov. 24). She did not disappoint, stuffing the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists in just nine minutes. Four of Michigan's five freshmen have reached double figures in scoring in a game this season.

• Olivia Olson (23) and Mila Holloway (21) each reached the 20-point mark against Central Michigan (Nov. 14) for the first 20-point games of their career. They join classmate Syla Swords, who has three 20-point games, as Wolverine freshmen to reach the 20-point plateau this season. Swords and Olson each turned in 21 points against LIU (Nov. 20) for Michigan's second game this season with multiple freshmen scoring at least 20 points. Swords and Olson lead U-M in 20-point games this season, each turning in three.

• Michigan has recorded double-digit steals in five straight games, going for 14 against Lehigh (Nov. 8), 12 against Central Michigan (Nov. 14), 10 against Oakland (Nov. 17), 12 against LIU (Nov. 20) and 12 versus Long Beach State (Nov. 24). U-M is sixth in the Big Ten in steals per game at 10.7 per contest.

• U-M will play six of its next eight games away from Crisler Center to end the 2024 calendar year.