Ingram breaks out of slump, nets 24 points

By Raphael Goodstein

Daily Sports Writer

A shooting guard that can't shoot would be an apt way to describe Alayne Ingram's last six games.

Since the last time she faced Wisconsin, six games ago, a game where Ingram injured her ankle and the Michigan women's basketball team lost, Ingram has shot 32 percent from the field and 15 percent from behind the 3-point line. So when the Badgers came to Michigan, Ingram was looking to put her recent history behind her.

Ingram did just that - and more, writing new history.

The sophomore scored a career-high 24 points, on 56 percent shooting, leading Michigan to a 78-73 win.

"She did a nice job of taking what the defense gave to her," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "That was short jumpers and penetration. She was able to get on track to shoot some threes.

"That's her bread and butter."

Ingram toasted Wisconsin on four-of -five 3-pointers.

"She hit some shots when they needed them," said Wisconsin coach Jan Albright, who coached Ingram on the Big Ten tour this summer. "We tried, I think, every perimeter player on her."

Try as they might, no Badger could stop the 5-foot-10 spark plug, not even on the game's most crucial possession.

With Michigan clinging to a one-point lead and just over a minute left in the game, Michigan gave the ball to Ingram, and she responded, nailing a 12-foot jumper - and the coffin of Wisconsin's NCAA Tournament hopes shut. The shot extended Michigan's lead to three, and the Badgers never got any closer.

This season, Michigan has typically turned to senior forward Stacey Thomas down the stretch, but not last night.

"I wanted the ball down the stretch a lot," Ingram said.

Michigan gave it to her, and she gave it to Wisconsin.

"One of the keys was Alayne Ingram," Albright said. "She scored a lot tonight."

Guevara agreed with that assessment.

"Everyone says that if you stop Stacey, you stop Michigan," Guevara said. If you want to just concentrate on Stacey, Alayne will take that as a personal challenge. She's cocky enough to think, 'Okay, you want to stay on Stacey, I'll burn your tail.'"

Unfortunately for the Badgers, they didn't learn this lesson until after the game.

"I didn't look at it as I was unstoppable, I just looked at it as I really wanted to win," Ingram said.

So when junior Anne Thorius buried the game's final two free-throws to extend Michigan's lead to 78-73, with two seconds left, Ingram threw her arms up in a 'V.'

For victory.

turned to senior forward Stacey Thomas down the stretch, but not last night.

"I wanted the ball down the stretch a lot," Ingram said.

Michigan gave it to her, and she gave it to Wisconsin.

"One of the keys was Alayne Ingram," Albright said. "She scored a lot tonight."

Guevara agreed with that assessment.

"Everyone says that if you stop Stacey, you stop Michigan," Guevara said. If you want to just concentrate on Stacey, Alayne will take that as a personal challenge. She's cocky enough to think, 'Okay, you want to stay on Stacey, I'll burn your tail.'"

Unfortunately for Wisconsin, they didn't learn this lesson until after the game.

"I didn't look at it as I was unstoppable, I just looked at it as I really wanted to win," Ingram said.

So when junior Anne Thorius buried the game's final two free-throws to extend Michigan's lead to 78-73, with two seconds left, Ingram threw her arms up in a 'V.'

For victory.