Michigan
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Rutgers
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Freshmen Power Wolverines to Win Over Rutgers, Third Straight Victory
1/18/2025 3:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team won its third straight contest, knocking off Rutgers 87-71 on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 18) at Crisler Center. U-M took the lead with just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter and never trailed again.
U-M had four players score in double figures, led by 20 from Syla Swords to go with six rebounds and four assists. Olivia Olson turned in 13 points and four rebounds, with Mila Holloway matching her with 13 points and a career-best seven assists. Te'Yala Delfosse chipped in 10 points off the bench as Michigan's freshmen combined for 56 of U-M's 87 points. The Wolverines forced 23 Scarlet Knights turnovers and turned them into 31 points, and hit 10 three-pointers, led by four from Swords and three from Olson.
Rutgers jumped out to an early advantage, leading by as many as five in the opening quarter. Brooke Quarles Daniels grabbed an offensive rebound and found Olson at the top of the key for a triple, pushing Michigan ahead 15-13 at the 4:24 mark.
Michigan ended the quarter on a 9-0 run over the final 1:44, getting a layup from Yulia Grabovskaia, a Quarles Daniels layup off a steal and five points from Holloway for a 27-17 lead after 10 minutes.
Rutgers scored the first four points of the second quarter while Michigan was held scoreless for more than three minutes to close the gap to 27-21. Jordan Hobbs made one of two at the free-throw line with 6:24 on the second-quarter clock for a 28-21 lead for Michigan's first point of the period.
Rutgers closed within two points, 28-26, but Swords hit a triple and a baseline jumper from Hobbs to beat the shot clock stemming the tide for the Wolverines, pushing the home team back ahead by seven with 3:12 left before the half. A bucket from Delfosse after a pair of Rutgers free throws, followed by a pair of made free throws from Swords in the closing minute gave U-M a 37-28 halftime lead.
Michigan outscored the Scarlet Knights 23-16 in the third quarter behind seven points from Swords. Michigan led by as many as 14 in the middle stages of the quarter before Rutgers climbed back within eight, 52-44, with 1:46 to go. U-M answered with back-to-back triples from Greta Kampschroeder and Olson, forcing a Rutgers timeout with 1:00 left as the U-M lead ballooned back to 14, 58-44.
The run reached 8-0 to end the third quarter when Holloway found Hobbs for a layup as time expired, good for a 60-44 U-M lead after 30 minutes.
Michigan led by as many as 23 points in the final quarter, reaching the 80-point mark for the third straight game.
U-M hits the road next week, heading to Minnesota for a Wednesday evening (Jan. 22) contest. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CST, and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.
