MT. PLEASANT - Thus far this season, whenever the Michigan women's basketball team has had an opponent on the ropes, the Wolverines have immediately been able to deliver a knockout blow.
Yesterday, it looked as if the Wolverines might do the same to Central Michigan, opening up a 16-point lead in the second half. But Michigan couldn't put the Chippewas away, and the outcome was in doubt far longer than it should have been.
Central's Denise Didley cut Michigan's lead down to 10 with just under five minutes remaining, and Michigan couldn't breathe easy until Ann Lemire iced the game with a 3-point hoop, pushing the lead back to ten with 1:27 remaining.
"We were up by about 15, and I'm thinking, 'OK, let's go,'" Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "My team will get on a roll and boom, all of a sudden it will go from 15 to 25.
"But they came down and hit a three, or we fouled and they went to the line. We just couldn't put them away. And you have to give Central Michigan credit for that."
The final margin of 68-56 appears comfortable, but that's not how the Michigan players looked on the court, especially in the first half.
The Wolverines shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, but they were only four of nine from the free-throw line, committed nine of their 23 turnovers, and were out-rebounded and generally out-hustled by the Chippewas.
"I didn't think we were very aggressive at all on the perimeter," Guevara said. "That is one thing that we have been working on every day in practice, and I did not see any of that today, as emphasized by Molly Murray not scoring any points, (Jennifer) Kiefer two and (Akisha) Franklin four."
Fortunately for the Wolverines, when their outside game isn't working, they can turn to Pollyanna Johns on the inside.
Johns scored a season-high 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting.
"When P.J. gets down on the blocks, there aren't very many people that can stop her one-on-one," Guevara said.
Johns accounted for nine points during a 15-2 Michigan run that gave the Wolverines a 53-37 lead with ten minutes remaining.
"You don't know whether you should double her, or get weak-side help," Central Michigan coach Fran Voll said. "I know they've got 3-point shooters.
"It's easy to say, 'Let's put two people on somebody.' But I personally think, when you are playing a good team like that, you can't leave too many folks uncovered."
With Johns carrying the load, Michigan played well enough in spurts to win, even though it may have been the Wolverines' poorest effort of the season.
In fairness though, Michigan was due for an off-night. It started the year with five straight wins, by an average margin of 17.6 points.
And the Wolverines only defeat was a 77-74 loss to No. 1 Stanford last Sunday.
Yesterday was Michigan's first inconsistent effort of the season.
"Our practices the last two days were much more intense than the game we just played," Guevara said. "The kids were more competitive."