By Mitchell Rans
Sports Capital Journalism Program
INDIANAPOLIS — For more than 33 minutes in their semifinal game of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Michigan Wolverines gave themselves a reason to believe.
They created problems for the second-ranked USC Trojans and national player of the year candidate JuJu Watkins. With 6:29 to play, the score was 60-60 and the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse could think about a memorable upset.
“We’ve shown that we can play with any team in the country for 30 minutes of the game,” said Michigan freshman guard Syla Swords.
“But the game isn’t a 30-minute game. It’s a 40-minute game, and that’s where we have to step up.”
USC took control with a 14-0 run over 3:36 that sent the Trojans to a 82-70 victory and a spot in their first Big Ten championship game. USC (28-2) will face the UCLA Bruins on Sunday at 4:30 p.m., one week after the emotional victory at Pauley Pavilion that swept the season series.
The Trojans forced 17 turnovers and won the battle on the glass, 42-33, including 15 offensive rebounds. Watkins scored 16 of her 20 points in the second half, on 5-of-8 shooting, and had three steals. The 20-plus game was the 25th of the season for Watkins, most in the NCAA. Kiki Iriafen, a 6-3 forward, had 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting, with 11 rebounds. Watkins was not available after the game.
Michigan (22-10) was led by Swords, who scored 26 points. Freshman guard Olivia Olson scored 13, and senior guard Jordan Hobbs scored 12.
Swords did not play when the Wolverines were beaten, 78-58, at USC on December 29.
“Yeah, I had a good game today, but not good enough,” Swords said afterwards. “We all have areas that we need to improve on to really get that next step and start winning these top ranked games.”
Michigan went ahead 15-12 at the end of the first quarter on a 3-point shot by Swords. The Wolverines scored 10 of their 31 first half points off turnovers.
In the second half, the Trojans came out strong on the defensive end and disrupted Michigan’s flow of offense with their full court press. USC took a 53-52 lead at the end of the third quarter. Michigan struggled with 7-for-21 shooting in the fourth quarter.
USC freshman guard Avery Howell scored 11 points off the bench. “I think today obviously Ju and Kiks are getting guarded really hard, so there was more opening for me to get shots,” Howell said. “I wasn’t super hot from three today, so I tried to get other things to work out, leaking out, getting layups. Malia (Samuels) found me around the rim a couple times. I knew that fourth quarter was going to be huge for our team, and I just tried to show up in any way I could.”
The Trojans were able to match their season average in points with 82, with 53 coming in the second half. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said the difference was due to an attitude shift for her team.
“First of all, Michigan is a really good defensive team,” Gottlieb said. “We had to find those spots. We had to handle their pressure. I knew we’d eventually knock down some shots. I thought we got some good looks that didn’t go in the first half, but really it was almost like an attitude shift for us to be the aggressors and take it at them. I thought that was a key to get going as well….
“I thought we got to the free-throw line more as well because I thought we were more aggressive to get the ball where it needed to go in the paint, whether that was off the bounce or with post touches.”
For the Wolverines, despite being knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament know that they have confidence going into the NCAA tournament.
“I think obviously in the moments after the game we’re super disappointed because we felt like we were so close,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “Their mood, I’m going to give them tonight. They’re going to need to spend some time with their families. They’re going to need to regroup, and they’re going to want to get back.”
