The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, February 17, 2012 - The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, February 17, 2012 Late surge lifts Iowa to win Hawkeyes' 3-point parade erases defecit, stuns Michigan at Crisler By COLLEEN THOMAS Daily Sports Writer It didn't take long for the Mich- igan women's basketball team's eight-point lead late in the second half to dis- appear. IOWA 58 With just MICHIGAN 57 44 seconds left to play in Thursday's game, Iowa's Kamille Wahlin hit a go- ahead 3-pointer. It was the Hawkeyes' first lead of the game. On the ensuing possession, the Wolverines (7-6 Big Ten, 18-8 overall) looked to put the ball in the paint, giving it to senior guard Carmen Reynolds. But Reynolds' shot was blocked and Michigan had to send someone to the foul line to get one more possession. Junior guard Jenny Ryan unwisely chose Wahlin, an 87-percent free-throw shooter, to shoot the 1-and-1. The Wolverines got a lucky break. "I wasn't too happy when it didn't go in,"Wahlin said. "Michi- gan took a timeout, and we went to the bench and my teammates * picked me up and said, 'Hey we got your back, we're going to get this stop.'" As the shot clock ran down for Michigan, Iowa (8-6, 17-10) clogged the paint and forced junior guard Nya Jordan to kick the ball out to junior forward Sam Arnold. Rebow T he final score of the Michigan women's bas- ketball team's loss to Iowa on Thursday night was 58-57. But the deciding number was 18 - how many more rebounds the Hawkeyes pulled down than the Wolverines. Most noticeable was the dif- ference in offensive rebounds. Iowa out- rebounded MICHAEL Michigan, LAURILA 20-9. Though this number On Women's isn't mind Basketball blowing, it led to a Hawkeye advantage of 16-8 in points after offensive rebounds. The Wolverines led by as many as 13 points going into the first half, but were still dominated 10-4 in the offensive rebounding category. But Iowa couldn't hit the broad side of the barn - shooting an abysmal 21.6 percent from the floor. "When you're not shooting the ball, you better crash," said Iowa coach Lisa Bluder. "You've got to crash to get those second and third opportunities, and I'm proud of our team for doing that." For Iowa, the crashing of the boards, as Bulder said, didn't come from the Hawkeyes' lead- ing rebounder, 6-foot-5 junior Morgan Johnson. It came from freshman Samantha Logic. Logic tallied 18 total rebounds, nine of those coming on the offensive glass. This gave her a career high in the catego- ry, as well as probably earning her a game ball. But one player wasn't the downfall for the Wol- verines. The true problems were an all-around lack of boxing out and being undersized in the paint. On multiple occasions, Johnson used her size to shoot a lay-up. Miss. Get her own rebound and put up another shot. Miss. Get a third consecu- tive rebound and, finally, either score or get fouled. This series of plays brings back memories of youth games, where one tall player could dominate a game, whether they were talented or not. Unfortu- nately for Michigan, this wasn't a YMCA game. Though the Wolverines "lost the game" because they couldn't convert on their two opportuni- Blue readies for talented pool at Florida Atlantic Wolverines eye rematch with No. 22 Kentucky on Saturday By DANIEL FELDMAN Daily Sports Writer After sweeping a four-game tournament last weekend, the No. 11 Michigan softball team looks to maintain its perfect record in this weekend's Florida Atlantic Kickoff Classic. The Wolverines will play five games between Friday and Sun- day, including a pair of double- headers. After games against Maryland and Long Island on Friday and No. 22 Kentucky and Florida Atlantic on Saturday, in last year's NCAA tournament. As much of a disappointment as that was, the Wolverines will look to avenge their early exit. Though Kentucky, is ranked while Michigan's other four opponents are not, the team's mentality will not differ as they play each game. "Everyone competes to play," Chidester said. "It's just a num- ber out there. It's not something we really look towards." Something the Wolverines will look toward this weekend will be the performance of fresh- man pitcher Sara Driesenga, who is coming off of a two-win week- end, highlighted by a no-hitter through five innings that earned her Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Lost in Driesenga's dazzling pitching display last week was Junior forward Sam Arnold missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer, but shared the team lead with 12 points. Arnold launched a 3-pointer, and the Hawkeyes - as they had done 27 times earlier in the game - pulled down the defensive rebound. Wahlin's teammates got their stop, and Iowa got the win, 58-57. Arnold's shot may not have been ideal for the Wolverines, but they had no other options. Iowa's defense didn't give up any opportunities in the paint, and Arnold was open at the top of the key. But Michigan coach Kevin Borseth seemed to think a jumper was the best choice. "We tried to get around the basket," he said. "We went down with Carmen (in the previous possession) and didn't get a foul called, so I didn't know if I want- ed to go under the basket again and put it in the hands of the offi- cials." Regardless, it didn't work out well for the Wolverines. Despite 12-point efforts by Arnold and senior guard Courtney Boylan, the team was unable to maintain the 14-point lead it took into the half. After shooting at a 46-percent clip in the first half, Michigan was unable to keep up the pace, com- pleting just 21 percent of its shots in the second frame. But Iowa smelled blood as a result, and it was clearly the bet- ter second-half team. Wahlin's efforts led the Hawkeyes, as she had 11 of her 18 points in the sec- ond stanza, and Samantha Logic tallied a double-double. Logic dominated the glass on both ends of the Crisler Cen- ter court, pulling down 18 of the team's 48 total rebounds. But while Iowa was limiting Michi- gan's offensive possessions, the Hawkeyes were creating second- chance opportunities of their own. Iowa had 16 points off of 20 offensive boards, and limiting the Wolverine post players was the most significant aspect of the Hawkeyes' game plan according to Iowa coach Lisa Bluder. "We told them at halftime, 'We're going to win this game with defense and rebounds,' and that's exactly what we did in the second half," she said. Michigan gets another chance to play the Hawkeyes in the last game of the season in Iowa City. And Borseth knows that the team has to make a case for an NCAA Tournamentbid. "We've got to win the last one - that's the one you want to win," he said. "Because that's the one the committee looks at." Ids were the difference ties at the end of the game to hit a game winner, it wasn't the only reason. Almost every sec- ond-chance opportunity result- ed in either an Iowa basket, free throw or another miss. But this isn't a new problem for Michigan. All season, the Wolverines lack of size has tormented them against bigger teams, especially those in the Big Ten. They play a help-ori- ented defense to limit opposing post players. At 6-foot-2, junior forward Rachel Sheffer fronts the post and relies on backside help from the guards. On Thursday, this strategy seemed to work in the first half, as Michigan tallied nine turnovers. Problems arose when the ball got into the post, because it seemed the Wolver- ines only option was to hack-a- shaq. Sure, the Hawkeyes scored 39 second-half points compared to its hita3 left, b to win was w has we while the gl lost th game. not ba 19 first-half points and Though that isn't illogical, -pointer with 44 seconds the bigger picture showed: if the ut Michigan's inability Wolverines want to capitalize the battle on the boards on their post-season aspira- hy Iowa won. Michigan tions, something will need to on games this season change in the paint. With only still losing the battle for three remaining regular-season ass, but Thursday, they games, if Michigan hopes to end at battle, and in turn, the its 11-year tournament drought, something will have to change - rebounding or otherwise. They have a long road to go, and Borseth knows the impor- Vhen you're tance of the remaining games since the NCAA Tournament shooting the selection committee focuses more than just on wins and 11, yOu better losses. It looks at the momentum a team has coming into the end crash." of the year, as well as its confer- ence-tournament play. Michi- gan's abilityto rebound and control the paint - or at least m Logic had 18 rebounds," to limit opposing teams in the th said. "That was the big paint - could be the difference ence. Either that or making between another NIT berth and ;t shot." an invitation to the Big Dance. the team will the stellar conclude the defense behind weekend's her. Through tournament "Everyone Driesenga's with a match- two outings, up against competes to play. spanning t Wright State. nRankings) innings, she A major rea- are has just tallied son for Michi- * ab two strikeouts. gan's 4-0 um "The coach- start is senior es tell her all third base- the time, 'Let man Amanda the defense Chidester. Through four games, help you,"' said senior center- Chidester has hit two home runs, fielder Bree Evans. "We have a tying her with sophomore first really good defense this year." baseman Taylor Hasselbach for Despite the fact that the sea- the team lead. son is very young, the team's "I don't need to get all the hits goals are already set. and big hits," Chidester said. "We hope for the same things," Her first home run of the year said Evans. was a walk-off to defeat then-No. "We hope to win the Big Ten 22 LSU, 2-L This weekend's tour- like we have been and we hope nament is headlined by a match- to make to the World Series up with No. 22 Kentucky, which and have a shot for the national upset and eliminated Michigan championship." WANT MORE SPORTS COVE RAGE? Follow the Daily on Twitter: @MICH DAI LYSPORTS @MICHDAI LYFBALL @MICHDAILYBBALL @MICHDAILYHOCKEY Apply Early: Allow 3-4 weeks for processing before the deadline FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE www.finaid.umich.edu/CurrentStudent#fall