Michigan Wolverines
Big Ten (20-11, 8-8)
Michigan had an up and down 2011-2012 campaign. They knocked off teams like Ohio State, but then had some pretty bad losses. The lack of consistency is an issue, but if the Wolverines can get hot at the right time, they can make some noise in March. Coach Kevin Borseth has reached the postseason during three of his four seasons with the Wolverines, but none of those appearances include a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Big Wins: 11/11 at Florida (69-66), 1/7 Ohio State (73-62), 2/9 at Nebraska (63-52)
Bad Losses: 12/11 at Eastern Michigan (64-77), 1/30 at Wisconsin (55-60), 2/5 Michigan State (63-65)
Coach: Kevin Borseth (5 seasons at Michigan)
Why They Can Surprise:
The Wolverines have a slew of scoring options and they can be tough to defend. Center Rachel Sheffer leads the way with 13.1 points per game and she can do damage inside and out. Point guard Courtney Boylan is a solid scorer who can attack the basket. Wing Carmen Reynolds and guard Jenny Ryan are both options to explode offensively on any given night. Ryan does a lot more for this team than just score though. She is a great passer and one of the best perimeter defenders in the Big Ten. Kate Thompson will come in off of the bench, but the 6-4 guard has a lot of size and almost always provides an offensive spark as the sixth player.
Why They Can Disappoint:
While Michigan can score, they do have trouble shooting from outside. Nobody on the team is particularly consistent from long range and that has been a big problem when the Wolverines fall behind. They will hoist up their fair share of three-pointers, but most of the time they just are not falling. The other problem Michigan often runs into is due to their size. Sheffer is a fine scorer, but this is not a big team with Sheffer being the biggest starter at 6-1. Sheffer can easily get outmuscled under the basket against a bigger, stronger opponent. That leads to issues on the glass as well. Ryan, a 5-9 guard, is the team’s best rebounder. The frontcourt has to do a better job on the glass or the Wolverines will bow out of the tournament when they run into a team with a big frontcourt.
Probable Starters:
Courtney Boylan, Senior, Guard, 12.7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 4.0 rpg
Jenny Ryan, Junior, Guard, 6.8 ppg, 4.0 apg, 6.4 rpg
Carmen Reynolds, Senior, Guard, 8.2 ppg, 1.1 apg
Nya Jordan, Junior, Forward, 4.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Rachel Sheffer, Junior, Center, 13.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.1 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Sam Arnold, Junior, Forward, 4.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Nicole Elmblad, Freshman, Guard, 2.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Kendra Seto, Sophomore, Forward, 1.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg
Kate Thompson, Junior, Guard, 8.0 ppg, 1.4 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 63.8 (134th in nation, 9th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 58.0 (90, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 41.6 (63, 5)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.3 (153, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.1 (69, 4)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 31.7 (101, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 77.2 (9, 2)
Rebound Margin: -3.3 (265, 12)
Assists Per Game: 13.4 (107, 7)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.5 (11, 1)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
Michigan 2011 NIT Round of 64 loss to Eastern Michigan
Michigan 2010 NIT Round of 64 win over Kent State
Michigan 2010 NIT Round of 32 win over Toledo
Michigan 2010 NIT Regional Semifinal win over Northwestern
Michigan 2010 NIT Regional Final win over Syracuse
Michigan 2010 NIT National Semifinal loss to Miami
Michigan 2008 NIT Second Round win over VCU
Michigan 2008 NIT Third Round win over Southern Mississippi
Michigan 2008 NIT Fourth Round loss to Michigan State
Michigan 2002 NIT First Round loss to Valparaiso
Michigan 2001 NCAA Round of 64 win over Virginia
Michigan 2001 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Notre Dame
*all team stats through 3/1
See All Women’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
