Round 2: Women hungry for Lions

By Raphael Goodstein

Daily Sports Writer

Four weeks ago, the Michigan women's basketball team suffered one of its worst losses of the year, a 72-69 heartbreaker at Wisconsin.

Three days later the Wolverines came home to play Iowa, a team with lower expectations than Michigan. While Iowa was hoping to "play two good halves of basketball," Michigan needed the win badly, with a trip to No. 6 Penn State looming.

But Michigan came out sluggish, was down by five at halftime, and struggled all game to put the Hawkeyes away.

With only 10 seconds left and Michigan clinging to a slim three-point lead, freshman center LeeAnn Bies passed the ball to junior Anne Thorius, who was also standing out of bounds. Thorius then fired a full-court baseball pass to a streaking Stacey Thomas for a lay-up.

Thomas made the lay-up, drew a foul, and sank the free throw - along with Iowa's upset hopes.

The play could have sent Michigan into a tailspin, had it failed. But it worked.

The Wolverines haven't looked back since, winning six of its next seven games, and the Hawkeyes lost three of their next four.

Michigan coach Sue Guevara described the game as "the good, the bad, and the ugly," while Thomas' game awed Iowa's coach Angie Lee. Lee described Thomas as a "legitimate Big Ten Player of the Year candidate."

Thomas finished the game with 32 points, eight rebounds and one of the top highlights of Michigan's season

Tonight, the Hawkeyes look to redeem themselves.

While Iowa is playing for revenge, Michigan is playing to improve its NCAA Tournament seed.

Michigan has solidified the No. 2 seed for the Big Ten tournament and could possibly meet Iowa a third time in the Big Ten tournament's second round.

As it presently stands, Iowa will be the seventh seed in the tournament and play 3-12 Northwestern in the first round.

The winner would play against Michigan, which will enjoy a first-round bye.

DAVID KATZ/Daily

Michigan forward Stacey Thomas erupted for 32 points the last time the Wolverines faced Penn State - the Big Ten's best team.