UW Women’s basketball beat #6 Michigan 64-52 on New Year’s Day in a key win for the program in front of an electric home crowd. This was their first win over a top ten opponent since they beat #9 Oregon in February 2024.
UW beat Northwestern most recently to open conference play, but right before that, they had a bewildering loss to a sneaky good Stanford team. That loss felt like none of the pieces came together at that time and that Stanford was in fact the better team. Michigan leads the Big 10 in scoring, averaging 92.4 points per game. Both teams have excellent rebounding percentages. The game looked like it would be a good match up between two good teams. In reality, the teams matched up really well, both using their team defense to slow the other team down.
UW got the tip and on the first play of the game, Michigan doubled a UW player at the top of the key, clearly having scouted their plays. It looked like it was going to be a long game for UW. After that turnover, Sayvia Sellers ran down and blocked a shot and the Huskies took off on an 8-0 run. Michigan answered with one free throw point, but couldn’t get past UW’s stifling defense.
Sayvia Sellers got her second foul with 3:33 seconds left in the first quarter and sat the entire rest of the first half. This is the team’s Achilles’ heel – their leading scorer rides the bench regularly, in foul trouble. Sienna Harvey, true freshman, got the call up and got some major minutes at point guard in Sellers’ absence. Michigan went on an 8-0 run after Sellers sat down. Brynn McGaughy, another true freshman, ended the Michigan run with a 15 footer from the side of the key. The quarter ground to an end with UW up 13-11.
The second quarter began with several false starts for both teams – turnovers, missed shots, incomplete plays. Michigan pressured Sienna Harvey, taking advantage of her backup status. Avery Howell stepped up to the plate, grabbing rebounds and making baskets. The refs had been calling fouls closely and in Michigan’s favor and Howell also figured out how to draw a foul in front of a ref to draw attention to the fact that Michigan was fouling too. Michigan’s defense was tough and made UW slow down and run out our shot clock. The game looked like it would continue to be a grind until Brynn McGaughy blocked a shot and UW responded with cracking open a 14 point lead. UW ended the half up 31-18.
To start the third quarter, UW came out swinging, but couldn’t stop a 6-0 Michigan run. Despite that, UW crawled up to a 20 point lead. Sellers came back in to start the half but pretty quickly picked up her 3rd foul. She headed back to the bench with only 2 points and 3 fouls. UW continue to hold onto the lead at the end of the third: 51-33.
Knowing that they were on the verge of being upset, Michigan kept their composure and steadily crawled back from 20 points down, getting all the way within six points during the 4th quarter. With 2:36 left in the game, UW was up 9 points when Sellers had two turnovers in a row. She was trying to run a press break play and get the ball to the cutter, but the cutter wasn’t there and Michigan was ready to pick her off.
The last minute of the game was hopefully a picture of the growth UW has made as a team so far this season. UW played lock down defense and made plays when they needed to. With 40.6 seconds left, Tina Langley drew up a press break out of a timeout to get past Michigan’s full court press that had been bothering UW the entire quarter. Elle Ladine took the ball out of bounds and hucked it football style down court to an awaiting Sellers who made a huge jump for the ball. The Michigan defender also jumped for the ball, banging into Sellers and sending them both to the floor and fouling Sellers on the way. Sellers made both free throws.
Michigan got the ball and UW tied them up again. UW called a timeout with 27.7 seconds left up 61-52. Michigan had no choice but to foul UW as the game ended, sending Hannah Stines to the line (she made 1 of 2) and Sellers to the line (she made 2 of 2).
Key Takeaways:
- I was impressed with several of Langley’s play calls, especially since for the last few years I’ve been frustrated that she doesn’t call timeouts at the right time to set up a play. Tonight she called two timeouts and set up absolutely genius plays that got results. AND, now all Big 10 teams have to account for those plays going forward for the rest of the season. Brava.
- Avery Howell stepped up to the plate while Sellers was (yet again) in foul trouble. She notched another double double tonight with 22 points and 16 rebounds. I was also impressed with how physical she played, taking hard fouls and getting up again to do it again. She hurt her ankle at the beginning of the 4th quarter and went back to the locker room to get it looked at. She came back into the game. Hopefully that doesn’t bother her going forward.
- UW had point contributions from everyone who got in the game besides Teagan Brown. That tremendously helps take the pressure off when your star point guard only plays 21 minutes due to foul trouble.
- I’ve said this before so I won’t belabor the point, but your best players shouldn’t be getting in foul trouble and only playing 21 minutes. Figure it out or let her foul out! She’ll learn!
- UW outrebounded Michigan 42-27.
- UW held Michigan to FORTY POINTS below their season average. Hot damn!
The women needed a key team win to help them find themselves and their team culture. Hopefully this win was it. They should end up back in the top 25 next week.
True or False, Fan Edition:
I was able to go to the game in person this time, and here are some things that people said around me. I’ll let you know if they are true or false.
“I don’t think UW is going to blow out Michigan. Michigan is too good.”
FALSE. Well sort of – we beat them by 12 and held them to 40 points less than they usually score, so technically isn’t that a blow out of 50+ points?
“Why does your team lack racial diversity?”
TRUE, the team lacks racial diversity. This was said from a Michigan fan to a UW fan, in genuine bewilderment.
“You guys need better centers.”
HARD TO SAY if this is true or false. UW’s offense is very based on guard play, so they use a center sparingly. We’ll see how this works for them as they play more Big 10 team.s
Next up:
#24 Michigan State on January 8th 6pm at home.