MADISON, Wis. — The No. 22-ranked University of Michigan women’s basketball team used a 22-3 run spanning the third and fourth quarters en route to an 80-57 win over Wisconsin on Thursday night (Jan. 4) at the Kohl Center. With the win, sixth-year head coach Kim Barnes Arico picked up her 124th career win on the sidelines at Michigan to become the all-time winningest coach in program history.
U-M had a quartet of double-figure sorers, led by senior Katelynn Flaherty‘s 25 points, four assists and three rebounds. Junior Hallie Thome went for 20 points, five rebounds and three blocks, with junior Nicole Munger and freshman Deja Church each chipping in 10 points. Munger also grabbed six rebounds, with senior Jillian Dunston going for 11 as U-M outrebounded the Badgers, 35-27. Michigan shot 49.3 percent (31-for-63) from the floor in the game while holding Wisconsin to 40.8 percent shooting (20-for-49).
After a mostly back-and-forth third quarter, Michigan regained a 49-39 lead on Church free throws with 1:15 left in third quarter. Wisconsin called timeout to save possession the next time down the floor, but Church came through with a steal-and-score for a 51-39 lead. Wisconsin answered with a three-pointer on its final possession of the frame but freshman Hailey Brown found Flaherty for a backdoor layup and foul for a 54-42 lead at the end of three.
Thome scored the first four points on the fourth quarter on a pair of free throws and a 12-foot jumper to push Michigan’s lead to 16, 58-42, and force a Wisconsin timeout with 7:58 remaining.
Michigan’s run continued, getting layups from Flaherty, Munger and Brown to force another Badger stoppage at the 6:27 mark and U-M’s advantage up to 64-43. Flaherty made three of four at the line following a foul on her layup attempt and a technical foul on the Wisconsin bench, nudging Michigan’s lead up to 24, 66-43, with 5:22 left.
U-M led by as many as 27 in the contest as 10 Wolverines saw action in the game.
Michigan extended its lead to double figures for the first time, 31-21, on a layup from sophomore Kayla Robbins with just 1:14 left before the half. Wisconsin hit a three on its next possession, sending the Maize and Blue to halftime with a 31-24 lead. Thome and Munger each led the way with eight points, with Flaherty going for five points.
In a slow start for both teams, the Wolverines held Wisconsin scoreless for the final 4:42 of the first quarter to take an 18-11 lead after the first 10 minutes.
Michigan is back at home on Sunday (Jan. 7), hosting No. 10 Ohio State in its annual “Crash Crisler” game. Tip is set for noon and can also be seen on ESPN2.
Help Michigan “Crash Crisler” on Jan. 7 against Ohio State at noon. There will be pregame activities on the concourse and postgame autographs.