Michigan
6-1,0-0Big Ten
Belmont
2-4,0-0MVC
Strong Second Half Propels Michigan Past Belmont at Fort Myers Tip-Off
11/29/2024 5:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team used a 41-point second half to knock off Belmont 68-58 in the opening game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Shell Division on Friday afternoon (Nov. 29) at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
Michigan had four players in double figures, led by Olivia Olson's first career double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. She was joined by Jordan Hobbs (15 points), Syla Swords (14 points, eight rebounds) and Mila Holloway (11 points) in double figures. Michigan hit nine three-pointers in the contest, getting three each from Swords and Hobbs, with the Michigan defense holding Belmont to just five on 16.1 percent shooting. U-M shot 90.5 percent from the free-throw line, hitting 19-of-21 attempts. Michigan also held a 49-34 advantage on the glass, turning 16 offensive rebounds into 22 second-chance points.
With the score tied at 27 at the half, Michigan (6-1) outscored the Bruins 20-12 in the third quarter to take the lead for good. Two straight buckets from Olson with just under four minutes left in the period gave Michigan a 40-36 lead, one the Wolverines never relinquished the rest of the way. After the Bruins (2-4) cut it to two with a jumper on the ensuing possession, a pair of free throws and a triple from Swords off the offensive rebound corralled by Yulia Grabovskaia forced a Belmont timeout at the 1:38 mark as Michigan's lead swelled to 45-38. Michigan got a bucket from Brooke Quarles Daniels and gave up one free throw in the final seconds for a 47-39 lead after 30 minutes.
Swords hit a corner triple to start the fourth quarter for Michigan, giving the Wolverines their first double-figure lead of the day at 11 (50-39). Belmont refused to go away, pulling within six points (55-49) on a three-pointer with 5:36 left in the game. Greta Kampschroeder answered on the ensuing Michigan possession, hitting a right-wing triple to push the lead back to nine. A pair of Olson free throws with 4:12 left nudged the Michigan lead back to double figures, where it stayed the rest of the way as Michigan went 10-for-10 at the line in the final stanza.
Michigan never trailed in the first quarter, jumping out to a 12-4 lead on the strength of back-to-back triples from Hobbs and Olson. Belmont responded, cutting the lead to just two points before U-M scored four of the final six points of the quarter for a 16-12 lead after 10 minutes.
Belmont opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run, taking a 19-16 lead on a triple with just under six minutes remaining. Michigan trailed by as many as six in the second quarter but ended the half on a 6-0 run, getting a triple from Hobbs and a three-point play from Swords with less than 10 seconds remaining to hit the half tied at 27.
Michigan has advanced to the championship game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Shell Division and will face Virginia Tech on Saturday (Nov. 30) at 7:30 p.m.
