SEATTLE, Wash. — The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women’s basketball team closed within five points in the final 1:08 after trailing by as many as 20, but could not complete the comeback in a 64-52 loss to Washington on Thursday (Jan. 1) at Alaska Airlines Arena.
U-M scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter and held Washington scoreless for nearly five minutes to pull within 11, 51-40, after an Ashley Sofilkanich layup before the Huskies finally broke through with a triple at the 5:10 mark.
The Wolverines’ run continued, as Syla Swords connected on a triple and Mila Holloway turned a Washington shot-clock violation into two points with a layup. After a Husky free throw pushed the lead back to 12, 57-45, with 2:36 remaining, Kendall Dudley and Olivia Olson cashed in on back-to-back steals to bring Michigan within eight, 57-49, with 1:17 to go.
Olson recorded another steal and turned it into a three-point play, hitting a hanging jumper in the lane and the ensuing free throw to cut the deficit to 57-52 at the 1:08 mark. Michigan got no closer, as Washington answered with a layup on the next possession and went 5-for-6 at the line in the final minute.
Swords led U-M with 15 points and five rebounds, while Olson added 12. Holloway scored seven and Sofilkanich chipped in six. Michigan struggled offensively, shooting 33.3 percent (20-for-60) from the floor and 21.4 percent (3-for-14) from three-point range. The Wolverines forced 23 Washington turnovers that resulted in 27 points, but the Huskies held a 43-27 advantage on the boards.
Michigan weathered a slow start, responding with a 9-0 run after falling behind 8-0 to take a 9-8 lead with 1:53 left in the first quarter. The run featured four free throws from Holloway, one from Dudley, and layups from Olson and Te’Yala Delfosse.
Swords beat the buzzer on the final possession of the quarter, bringing U-M within two, 13-11, after the opening 10 minutes.
Washington used a 7-0 run over 52 seconds to push its lead to double figures for the first time, 25-15, forcing a Michigan timeout with 2:35 left in the second quarter. The run continued after the break as Washington extended its lead to 29-15 before a Dudley layup with just over a minute left halted the surge.
UW took a 31-18 lead into the locker room, doubling Michigan up on the glass, 24-12, and holding U-M to just 21.4 percent shooting (6-for-28).
Washington opened the third quarter with seven straight points for a 38-18 lead just 45 seconds into the period. Swords answered with her first triple of the afternoon, and Brooke Quarles Daniels converted a steal-and-score to slow the momentum.
Michigan chipped away throughout the third quarter, but Washington scored the final six points of the frame to take a 51-33 lead after 30 minutes.
Michigan returns home to host Minnesota on Monday (Jan. 5) at 6:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.