In a game that no one wanted to win, the Michigan women's basketball team grudgingly took the prize, beating Northwestern 70-64 in overtime at Crisler Arena yesterday.
"Michigan wanted to give us the game," Northwestern coach Don Perrelli said, "and we didn't want to take it."
The Wolverines beat Penn State on Friday, 67-59, in their first-ever win in Happy Valley.
Yesterday's victory over Northwestern wasn't as important, from a historical persepective.
Michigan (9-5 Big Ten, 17-7 overall) held the Wildcats (9-19, 3-12) to just two points in overtime, both on free throws, and Pollyanna Johns scored seven of her 21 points in the extra stanza to give Michigan the victory.
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| WARREN ZINN/Daily Anne Thorius and the women's hoopsters were all smiles on Friday after their first-ever victory in Happy Valley. |
But Lemire - the Wolverines best free-throw shooter at 73 percent - missed both shots from the charity stripe, then missed an open 3-pointer with three seconds left.
Johns took the team on her shoulders in overtime, scoring all but one of Michigan's points - the only other point was an inconsequential free-throw with six seconds left.
Johns hit five of seven free throws and sank a layup while being fouled - the only field goal either team scored in overtime.
Johns "does a good job of going to the boards," Guevara said. "She has a nose for the ball." The Wolverines won the game despite shooting just under 33 percent from the field - including a dismal 28 percent in the second half.
"We were very, very fortunate to come out of this game with the 'W" Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "It was defense and rebounding. That's how we've been winning games."
Michigan dominated the boards, out-rebounding Northwestern 53-41 and pulling down 26 offensive rebounds.
The Wolverines missed a handful of jumpers from right under the basket, shots that Guevara said should have been made.
"We must not be doing enough penetration, short-jumper drills," Guevara said. "We missed a lot of them today."
The Wolverines built a 10-point lead with 13 minutes left behind two 3-pointers by Thorius and one by Murray. But the Wildcats went on a 9-0 run, including five points from forward Kristina Divjak, the Big Ten's leading scorer. Divjak led all scorers with 27 points.
The Wolverines then clamped down defensively, holding Northwestern to just three points over a 5 1/2-minute span late in the second half.
The Wolverines had trouble putting points on the board. Sophomore Stacey Thomas was held to 2-of-12 from the field, and Ann Lemire shot just 3-of-10.
The Wolverines didn't have any shooting troubles on Friday en route to a 67-59 victory over Penn State (7-6, 13-10). The win marked Michigan's first-ever win in Happy Valley.
"This is a huge, huge win for us," Guevara said.
Michigan's seniors had revenge on their minds in Friday's game, and not just for the one-point overtime loss to Penn State at Crisler Arena in January.
Four years ago, those seniors were humiliated at State College, losing by 50 points.
"In that game, when we hit a basket, their fans actually cheered for us because we finally scored," Johns said. "This is a great win for us."
Thomas led the Wolverines with 10 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two assists. Johns added 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.
Center Andrea Garner led the Nittany Lions with 12 points.
02-16-98
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