ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Starting the season off 9-0, the No. 14 Michigan Wolverine’s women’s basketball team saw their first loss of the season on Thursday night coming to Toledo, 71-68. Michigan was down 44-31 at halftime before battling back to take the lead in the fourth quarter, 66-64, only to see the Rockets pull away in the final minute for the upset.
Laila Phelia led the Wolverines with 20 points while Emily Kiser had 15 points as both players recorded eight rebounds. Michigan couldn’t keep up with Toledo’s hot shooting at 50 percent from the floor and 46 percent from the arc with a 12-of-12 performance from the line. Michigan did shoot 40 percent but only made three three-pointer for 25 percent and were 15-of-21 from the stripe.
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Michigan started with a 4-0 lead in the first quarter but Toledo went on a 13-2 run over four minutes for a seven point lead, 13-6. Toledo’s lead became 11 points with 2:34 to go as they finished with a nine-point lead, 22-13, at the end of the first. Toledo had an 11-point lead just a minute into the second quarter, 24-13, but Michigan slowly ate away at the lead. With 2:55 left, Cameron Williams made two free throws to come within five, 33-28. Toledo, though, finished the quarter on a 9-3 run for an 11-point lead at the half, 42-31.
The third quarter mirrored the second as Michigan would pull closer to Toledo, within four, 46-42 with 3:24 left, and were only down by seven at the end of the quarter, 53-46. Toledo continued to stay ahead of Michigan in the fourth quarter but the Wolverines had 18-6 run over seven minutes to take the lead, 66-64, with 1:41 left to play on a Phelia layup. Less than 20 seconds later, Toledo converted a three-point play to go back up, 67-66. Leigha Brown hit a jumper in the paint with 20 seconds left as Michigan retook the lead, 68-67, but Toledo hit the go ahead shot seven seconds later, 69-68. Michigan’s shot to take the lead with five seconds left by Brown was missed as Toledo received the defensive rebound and was fouled. They made both free throws to take the win, 71-68.
Michigan will next play on December 17 when they host Appalachian State at 12:00 p.m.
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