by Michigan suffered its second straight first-time loss of the season Thursday night when it fell to Maryland in College Park. The Wolverines were tested with what was thought to be an easy “fair” game, and it was exactly that.
Leigha Brown and Laila Phelia combined for 42 points, and the two leaders outscored Minnesota alone as Michigan cruised to a 77-41 victory.
Nothing new in this game, as Phelia and Brown set the tone early with 15 points total in the first quarter. They combined to shoot 7-12 from the floor, and neither stallion made it to the bench in the first quarter.
With 1:28 remaining in the first quarter, Brown scored his 1,000th point on the free throw line after and a layup.
The score was more evenly distributed in the second quarter, and although Michigan scored only 15 points in the second quarter, Minnesota struggled at the offensive end of the field and the Wolverines enjoyed a 34-23 lead going into of the first half.
Michigan exited the locker room fire in the third quarter. Phelia, Brown, and Greta Kampschroeder all finished with at least five points as Michigan’s lead grew to 31 points in the fourth quarter.
The Wolverines took their foot off the gas in the fourth quarter, as the outcome of the game was already determined. The Golden Gophers were unable to rally, and Michigan came out of the stable with a 36-point victory.
Late in the fourth quarter, junior forward Whiney Sollom entered the game and scored her first points of the season on layups with 1:45 to play.
With the win, Michigan improves to 17-5 overall and 7-4 in Big Ten play. Kim Barnes Arico’s team will return to Ann Arbor as it prepares for the Big Ten’s biggest surprise of the season, the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Under first year head coach Shauna Green, Illinois has impressed many and made noise near the top of the Big Ten ladder. The Fighting Illini are currently 16-5 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten.
The game will start on Thursday February 2 at 6:30 pm from Crisler.
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