LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Her Hoop Stats on Michigan Wolverines’ up-and-down season

[ThomasCostello]

Visiting Locker Room: Her Hoop Stats on Michigan Wolverines’ up-and-down season
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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What can Michigan do to win two against the Buckeyes, plus the players to watch beyond Laila Phelia.

Wednesday night reignites a rivalry that’s spanned generations. Ohio State versus Michigan has enough chapters for multiple books. Now, when Ohio State women’s basketball welcomes the Michigan Wolverines to Columbus, the Buckeyes hope to add a new, trophy-filled chapter.

A win for the Scarlet and Gray puts a 16th Big Ten regular season title in the program’s trophy cabinet. However, the Wolverines are the one team who’s bested the Buckeyes during the Big Ten season.

To see how Michigan’s doing, players to watch and how they can beat Ohio State, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to Olivia Janik from Her Hoop Stats. She discusses all those topics ahead of the midweek Big Ten matchup.

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Land-Grant Holy Land: Michigan is .500 in-conference this season, after winning its first two games against Illinois and Ohio State, they’ve lost eight of 14. What have you seen holding the Wolverines back in 2024?

Her Hoop Stats: There are two things that are really holding the Wolverines back this season: Fouls and bench points.

While Michigan has great defense, its discipline is sometimes lacking. The team averages 17.5 fouls per game and gives up too many points at the free throw line. In games where Michigan’s opponents made 13 or more free throws, the Wolverines are 2-6.

The other factor is that there’s really no help for the team’s offense off the bench. Forward Cameron Williams is the first option off the bench, but she only averages 6.8 points and 16.7 minutes per game. Michigan asks its starters to do a lot and if they get in foul trouble or need a break, no one off the bench can replicate the offense.

LGHL: Guard Laila Phelia is the clear cut leader of this year’s Michigan team. Who else has to step up for the Maize and Blue to be effective against Ohio State?

HHS: The players I’m looking to in this game are guards Lauren Hansen and Elissa Brett, both scored double-digits in the first game against Ohio State and will need to do so again on Wednesday if Michigan wants to stay competitive. I’d also like to see a better game from forward Chrya Evans, who didn’t score against the Buckeyes in their last matchup. Evans averages 7.9 points a game and will be key to getting the Wolverines points in the paint.

LGHL: Michigan is a far better rebounding team than the Buckeyes (comparing a +5.7 to -.9 rebounding margin). How are they so effective at grabbing missed shots?

HHS: Less than two rebounds separate Michigan and Ohio State’s average rebounds per game. In fact, Ohio State is actually a better defensive rebounding team than Michigan this season. The Wolverines do have the advantage when it comes to offensive rebounding, averaging 12.8 per game.

LGHL: How can Michigan beat Ohio State on Wednesday?

HHS: Michigan will need to replicate its success from December, limit fouls and turnovers and have a strong game from Phelia. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the Buckeyes have only gotten better since that loss and will know what to do to better attack Michigan’s defense. To win this time, the Wolverines should focus on grabbing as many of their missed shots as possible and drawing fouls to get to the free throw line early and often.

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