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DiGiacinto, Shellman spark cagers' victory

Silver Shellman and Catherine DiGiacinto of the Michigan women's basketball team were sick of being left in the basement during the first two years of their careers.

Seven straight conference losses this season have kept the Wolverines there. But the Wolverines can thank the forward duo for finally leading them out through the cellar door.

Michigan (1-8 Big Ten, 7-12 overall) captured its first conference win this season with the 64-52 victory over Minnesota at Crisler Arena Friday night. Even after the Wolverines' 74-67 loss at Indiana yesterday, winning the first game of the weekend set was a high point.

It's only one win. But when you go eight games straight without a `W' to show for it, having a one-game winning streak is something to celebrate."

"We've been almost three years now at the bottom and I can't stand it," Shellman said. "And I don't plan on going (back) down there any time soon."

Shellman showed a style of play that the rest of the Wolverines should learn from.

The junior forward scored a team-high 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench. She also grabbed seven rebounds and had four steals.

Yet, what was more impressive was that she returned after missing two games due to a knee injury, and played like she hadn't missed a game.

It's too bad that Shellman got hurt again -- this time at the end of the game. She, sprained her foot. As a result, she didn't play against the Hoosiers.

But against the Gophers, Shellman did play with aggressiveness, intensity and smarts -- three qualities that the Wolverines have lacked on the offensive and defensive side of the ball in their losses.

"We stayed positive and focused throughout the game to the very end," Shellman said. "I think the intensity helped us down the stretch"

"Things started to turn around as we got more aggressive on defense."

Actually, things started to turn around when Shellman entered the game in the early parts of the first and second halves.

Shellman came in early in the first half and jumpstarted the Wolverines after a sluggish opening few minutes

Her eight points tied DiGiacinto's for most points in the half.

But it was in a stretch at the beginning of the second half that Shellman and DiGiacinto dominated.

The score was tied at 34 with 16:04 left in the second half when Roberts put in the forward duo to provide a spark.

That's exactly what they did. The Wolverines went on a 16-2 run in 7:46, highlighted by Shellman's eight points and DiGiacinto's four that gave Michigan a 14-point cushion.

DiGiacinto finished the game with 13 points.

"I saw what was not happening in the game," DiGiacinto said "When I went in there, I tried to give my team a spark and the intensity up."

Intense was an understatement. Shellman and DiGiacinto were all over the place -- picking the Gophers' pockets, , driving hard to the basket and grabbing offensive boards -- all signs of hustle and emotion

"I told our team at halftime that we had to play with a lot more emotion," Roberts said. "I thought Cat (DiGiacinto) and Silver (Shellman) came off the bench to give us a big spurt and that's what we needed."

There was one stretch when Shellman and DiGiacinto couldn't be stopped.

DiGiacinto stripped the ball from Minnesota, and led Akisha Franklin for an easy layup. In the Wolverines' next possession, the junior forward hustled for a jump ball. Michigan retained the ball. Then, Shellman drove to the hole with abandon, pulling up for a short jumper in the lane and ... swish!

The next time down the floor, Shellman took a shot, grabbed her own miss in the lane among the Gophers and put her shot back up for a layup.

DiGiacinto doesn't doubt her team. She knows that Michigan should have more victories by now.

"Some of our frustration is lifted because there's no doubt in any of our minds that we have a good team," DiGiacinto said. "We have a rolling stone now and we have to keep it going."

The stone will not move if the Wolverines lack intensity.