Now in conference play, the No. 9 Michigan women’s basketball team has received a taste of why the Big Ten is one of the most dominant conferences in the country. Winning a double-overtime thriller against Oregon was followed by the Wolverines dropping their first conference game to No. 23 Washington during their cross-country trip.
Both teams were unranked when Michigan played them and proved the depth of the conference. But the Wolverines got a much-needed bounce-back win over Minnesota on Monday night to stay on track before more difficult opponents to come.
The Past Week
Michigan had eight days between its dominant 97-54 win over Oakland and its trip out to the Pacific Northwest. Against Oregon and Washington, the Wolverines struggled in different facets of their game.
The Ducks took Michigan to double overtime before the Wolverines scrapped out a 92-87 win. The Wolverines’ turnover struggles from a season ago resurfaced as they lost the turnover margin by three, and gave the ball away 26 times, which turned into 26 Oregon points on the other end. With a 15-point halftime lead, Michigan simply struggled to hold onto the ball in the second half.
What allowed the Wolverines to regain control late in regulation and into overtime was their tenacity on the glass. With 10 fourth-quarter second-chance points, Michigan was able to force overtime on the road. The Wolverines were aggressive when attacking the rim in the second overtime period, eventually winning the game at the stripe.
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