Michigan women's basketball holds off Northwestern in Big Ten opener, 77-66
Emily Kiser and Laila Phelia scored 18 points each and No. 17 Michigan shut down Northwestern in the final minutes of a 77-66 victory in the Big Ten opener on Sunday in Ann Arbor.
Leigha Brown added 10 points and 11 assists for Michigan (9-0, 1-0).
An 8-0 run gave Michigan a 61-53 lead in the fourth quarter before Northwestern’s Melannie Daley hit a jumper and Jillian Brown scored the next four points to get the Wildcats back within 61-59. At that point, U-M put the game out of reach with a 16-3 run in which Maddie Nolan hit a 3-pointer and the Wolverines made 9 of 10 from the line.
Brown had 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for Northwestern (4-4, 0-1 Big Ten). Caileigh Walsh had 12 points and four blocks, and Sydney Wood scored 10 points.
Michigan, which played at home for the first time since Nov. 16, is 9-0 for the second consecutive season. Last year’s team established a program-record by starting 10-0. The Wolverines can match that on Thursday against Baylor.
MAC women
North Dakota 79, Eastern Michigan 73: Natalia Pineda scored 19 points, making 5 of 8 3-pointers, for the host Eagles (5-1), who struggled in the fourth quarter, shooting just 3 of 15 from the field. ZaNiya Nelson added 16 points and Olivia Smith 15. Kacie Borowicz scored a game-high 34 for North Dakota (5-3), which outrebounded EMU, 43-33.
Horizon women
Cleveland State 86, Detroit Mercy 30: Irene Murua scored 10 for the visiting Titans (1-6, 0-2 Horizon), who shot only 24% (13-for-54) from the field and allowed the Vikings (7-1, 2-0) to shoot 60% (35-for-58). Destiny Leo led all scorers with 24 points.
Oakland 66, Purdue Fort Wayne 64: Off a Brooke Daniels steal in a tied game, Linda Van Schaik's jumper with 42 seconds left put the visiting Golden Grizzlies (4-4, 1-1) ahead for good. Van Schaik led Oakland with 21 points off the bench as Oakland outrebounded PFW, 43-27. Breanne Beatty scored 12, including three free throws with under a minute to go, and Daniels had 10. Amellia Bromenschenkel and Shayla Sellers both scored 15 for Purdue Fort Wayne (4-5, 1-1).
MAC men
Florida Atlantic 101, Eastern Michigan 73: Emoni Bates scored a game-high 29 points on 11-for-20 shooting (0-for-7 3-pointers) for host EMU (2-7). FAU shot 60% from the field and 50% from the 3-point line; four players scored in double-figures for the Owls (7-1), led by Bryan Greeniee's 23 points. The Eagles were outrebounded, 44-27.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan women's basketball holds off Northwestern in Big Ten opener
