The Michigan women have looked very good in the NCAA Tournament. On Saturday, they overcame a slow start to beat Louisville 71-52. Louisville was leading 15-9 after one quarter, and the Lady Wolverines only led by 5 points at halftime.
However, Michigan used a 16-0 run in the second quarter to erase a Louisville lead and used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to pull away. The Lady Wolverines again benefitted from the great play of their super sophomores, but they were led by sophomore Olivia Olson. Do you think they can win the tournament?
Michigan and Louisville Scoring Summary
This game was the first time in this NCAA Tournament that the Lady Wolverines looked vulnerable. Louisville had a 15-9 lead after the first quarter. Despite Michigan’s big run in the second quarter, they still only led by 5 points at halftime. However, they used another run in the third quarter to pull away.
Louisville got out to an 8-0 lead. That was before Syla Swords broke the scoring drought for the Lady Wolverines. She had 16 points for the game, though this first-quarter basket did not do much for Michigan as they were trailing after the first quarter, 15-9.
With a first-quarter deficit, Michigan had some work to do. Louisville scored the first four points of the second quarter. They held their largest lead of the game at 11 points with 6:53 left in the half. Then the Lady Wolverines went on a 16-0 run, taking a 32-27 lead at halftime.
There was another Michigan run to break the game open in the third quarter. Louisville led 39-38 with 4:53 left in the third quarter. Then, a close game became not so close when Michigan went on a 17-0 run. By the time they were done with that run, they had a 5-point lead. Louisville only scored one more basket for the duration of the quarter.
When all was said and done in the third quarter, the Lady Wolverines had a 17-point lead. They had a 25-13 advantage in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the game was definitely more back-and-forth. The Lady Wolverines had only a 2-point advantage in the final quarter, as both teams sensed the win and took their foot off the gas. The final score of the game was 71-52.
Player Of the Game
The player of the game was Olson. She had a game-high 19 points. She added 5 rebounds and 3 assists. She scored important points in both runs. For Louisville, honorable mention goes to Elif Istanbulluoglu, who had 18 points to lead the Cardinals.
Turning Point
The turning point of the game was the start of the 17-0 run in the third quarter. That run gave an insurmountable lead to the Lady Wolverines. That run started on a basket from Brooke Quarles Daniels with 4:36 remaining in the quarter. The game went from a close one to a blowout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Michigan beat Louisville in this game 71-52. They overcame a slow start and used two big runs in the second and third quarters. They used the first to take the lead and used the second to blow the game wide open. The player of this game was Olson.
The turning point of this game was the start of the third-quarter run. That run took a close game and turned it into a blowout. With the win, Michigan advances to the Elite Eight. They will face the number one-ranked Texas on Monday, March 30. Louisville is eliminated.
Parting Shots
With the win, the Lady Wolverines advanced to the Elite Eight. The reward for their win is to play top-ranked Texas. Michigan used runs in the second and third quarters to win the game. Though they looked beatable for the first time in the tournament, it will be interesting to see how they play against the Wolverines.
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