Skip to main content

University of Michigan Athletics

Thursday, November 15
Kalamazoo, Mich.
7:00 PM

Michigan

79
at
42

Western Michigan

Kayla Robbins

Michigan Overwhelms Western Michigan in Road Opener

11/15/2018 10:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball

» Michigan held Western Michigan to just 14 points over the second and third quarters to take control of the game.
» Freshman Naz Hillmon led a quartet of double-figure scorers, recording a career-high 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting.
» With her 14 points,Hallie Thome moved into third place all-time on the Michigan career scoring list (1,718 points) and trails only Diane Dietz (2,076) and Katelynn Flaherty (2,776).

Site: Kalamazoo, Mich. (University Arena)
Score: Michigan 79, Western Michigan 42
Records: U-M (2-0), WMU (1-2)
Next U-M Event: Monday, Nov. 19 -- vs. Detroit Mercy (Crisler Center), 7 p.m.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's basketball team used a stout defensive effort and four double-figure scorers to knock off Western Michigan, 79-42, on Thursday evening (Nov. 15) at University Arena.

Freshman Naz Hillmon turned in a career-high 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting from the floor. Senior Hallie Thome scored 14 points and pushed her career total to 1,718, which moved her into third place on Michigan's all-time scoring list, behind Diane Dietz (2,076) and Katelynn Flaherty (2,776). Junior Kayla Robbins battled back from foul trouble in the first half to finish with a career-high 13 points, while freshman Amy Dilk recorded her first double-figure scoring game, turning in 11 points.

Michigan shot 50 percent (29-for-58) for the game while holding Western to just 26.8 percent (15-for-56) overall and just 11.8 percent (4-for-34) from three-point range. Michigan also grabbed 60 rebounds in the game, while WMU collected 20.

Michigan went inside early and often in the first quarter, and got eight points from Thome over the first four minutes to jump out to a 12-5 lead with 5:56 on the first-quarter clock. U-M's lead grew to double-figures in the final minute of the quarter on a bucket from Hillmon and free throw from Dilk, which pushed Michigan's lead to 11 points, 22-11, after the first 10 minutes.

The second quarter belonged to the U-M defense and Hillmon. Michigan held the Broncos to just six points and two made field goals in the frame, its second time in as many regular-season games that the Wolverines have held an opponent under 10 points in a period. Hillmon poured in 11 points in the quarter to help Michigan to a 38-17 lead at the break. Michigan shot 50.0 percent (15-for-30) in the first half, compared to the Broncos' 17.9 percent (5-for-28). U-M also out-rebounded WMU, 31-11, over the first 20 minutes.

U-M continued to ratchet up the defensive pressure in the third quarter, as Western Michigan scored just eight points. U-M ended the frame on a 21-4 run for a 65-25 lead. Seven Wolverines scored in the frame, led by Dilk going for seven points, Thome for six and sophomore Hailey Brown for five.

The Wolverines emptied the bench in the fourth quarter, and among the fourth-quarter highlights were a corner triple from sophomore Priscilla Smeenge and a free throw from senior Samantha Trammel to account for duo's first points of the season.

Michigan will return to Crisler Center on Monday (Nov. 19), when it hosts Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m. Fans can gain free admission to Monday night's game with their football ticket from Saturday's (Nov. 17) game against Indiana.