WICHITA, Kan. — With the clock 

ticking down in the Michigan women’s 
basketball team’s first ever Elite Eight, 
junior guard Maddie Nolan, standing 
on the block, looked across the lane 
to senior forward Naz Hillmon. The 
two shared a look, Hillmon told Nolan 
to take a deep breath and they both 
steeled themselves for the next play.

Down by nine and struggling 

to overcome a late onslaught from 
Louisville, both players knew the 
situation 
was 
grim. 
Michigan’s 

chances at a Final Four berth — the 
first in program history — were 
quickly slipping away. 

In their first trip to the Elite Eight 

in program history, the third-seeded 
Wolverines (25-7 overall) fell to the 
first-seeded Cardinals (29-4), 62-50. 
In a crushing loss to end its historic 
season on Monday night, Michigan 
struggled to break through against 
Louisville’s stifling defense in spite of 
its own defensive strength.

“We knew it would be a game of 

runs and we had our share of runs,” 
Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico 
said. “They did what they do best. 
They forced us into some turnovers 
which resulted in some easy points for 
them.”

A defensive battle from the 

beginning, both teams were hard-
pressed to score. The Wolverines 
zeroed in on stopping the Cardinals 
from 
running 
their 
fast-paced 

transition 
offense. 
Lousiville 

jumped out to an early lead, but were 
continually tested by Michigan’s 
pesky defense — a narrative that 
repeated itself multiple times down 
the stretch.

On 
the 
offensive 
end, 
the 

Wolverines 
struggled 
to 
score 

throughout the first quarter. With 
the Cardinals dropping into their full-
court press after nearly every made 
basket, they forced Michigan into a 
few crucial early turnovers. 

The Wolverines tried to find their 

offense both inside and out, looking 
to Hillmon and senior forward Emily 
Kiser in the paint early on. But the 

Michigan’s historic season comes to a close 

in Elite Eight loss to Louisville

SPORTSWEDNESDAY

Wolverines struggled to find the 
bottom of the net, starting cold behind 
the 3-point line — until junior guard 
Maddie Nolan checked in.

Cutting Louisville’s growing lead 

with two 3-pointers late in the first 
quarter, Nolan was the offensive 

difference-maker early on. With the 
Cardinals having to leave their player 
to help on Nolan, Kiser and Hillmon 
found more space in the post. Ending 
the quarter by taking a charge, Nolan 
continued to keep Louisville at bay.

The defensive battle continued as 

both teams fought to gain control of 
the game. Forcing the Cardinals into 
a shot clock violation with under 30 
seconds left in the half, the Wolverines 

ABBIE TELGENHOF

Daily Sports Writer
CURTAIN CALL

had a chance to take the lead for the 
second time. Instead, a turnover and 
a missed defensive rebound allowed 
the Cardinals to extend their lead, 
forcing Michigan to enter the locker 
room down by three.

Opening the second half facing 

a 
renewed 
Louisville 
full-court 

press, the Wolverines fell back into 
their early pattern of turnovers. A 
scoring drought plagued Michigan 
throughout 
the 
third 
quarter, 

allowing the Cardinals to continue 
their balanced scoring attack from all 
five starters.

“I think their pressure, and that’s 

something that was obviously a 
concern of ours, really wore us down,” 

Barnes Arico said. “… Once we settled 
down (offensively), they wore us 
down with their defensive pressure, 
which forced turnovers.”

Drawing fouls in the paint, the 

Wolverines’ main source of points in 
the third quarter on the free-throw 
line until Nolan drained another 
3-pointer from the corner — once 
again cutting into Louisville’s lead. 
Michigan continued to pester the 
Cardinals, refusing to be buried, 
ending the quarter down by just two 
points.

Starting the fourth quarter once 

again with a turnover, the Wolverines 
quickly erased the progress they’d 
made at the end of the third — back-to-
back turnovers led to quick transition 
buckets for Louisville. 

Then, senior wing Leigha Brown 

stepped off the floor for the final time 
just under two minutes into the fourth 
quarter. Brown, who’s struggled with 
a lower-leg injury all season, had 
seemingly re-aggravated her injury. 
With Brown relegated to the bench, 
Michigan struggled to find any 
scoring outside the paint.

“Really, her tank was empty,” 

Barnes Arico said. “She couldn’t go 
anymore. … When you don’t have a 
dynamic guard, like Leigha Brown, 
arguably our best guard on the roster, 
that really hurts.”

With just under three minutes left 

in regulation, the Wolverines faced 
a two point differential. But failing 
to execute, missing multiple shots 
and turning the ball over, Michigan 
allowed the Cardinals to extend 
their lead. As Louisville continued to 
grow its advantage throughout the 
remaining minutes, Michigan could 
only watch as its hopes at a Final Four 
were dashed.

“I don’t think the final score is 

indicative of how that game went,” 
senior guard Danielle Rauch said. 
“How hard we fought and how much 
we put them on the ropes and we 
applied pressure as much as we could. 
Some things didn’t go our way. But I 
think that’s important to recognize.”

Ending 
their 
season 
in 
the 

program’s first-ever Elite Eight, the 
Wolverines made history.

Just not as much as they wanted.

Ending their season in the 
program’s first-ever Elite Eight, 
the Wolverines made history.
Just not as much as they wanted.

Emma Mati/Daily | Design by Lys Goldman

