Michigan women top Holy Cross in NCAA Tournament opener
Ann Arbor – As far as NCAA Tournament openers go, the Michigan women’s basketball team could not have asked for anything better. The Wolverines, installed as enormous 41-point favorites, used their first-round game to shake off some rust and flex some muscle. Michigan overwhelmed Holy Cross, 83-48, in an NCAA first-round game on Friday at Crisler Center.
The Crusaders finished their season 23-10. The ninth-ranked Wolverines (26-6) will face the winner of N. C.
State-Tennessee in a second-round game on Sunday at Crisler Center. More: Michigan women say they're 'capable of a national championship' Mila Holloway led the Wolverines in scoring with 20 points and eight rebounds, Syla Swords added 13 points, Oliva Olson scored 12 and had eight rebounds, Brooke Quarles Daniels added 12 and Te’Yala Delfosse 10. What’s on the line Sunday is a spot in the Sweet 16.
That’s why earning a top-16 seed in the women’s tournament is such a priority, because it gives teams the opportunity to host, which is a clear advantage in terms of advancing. Before the first-round game, Swords said the time off between the Wolverines’ last game, a Big Ten Tournament semifinal loss to Iowa on March 7, gave them a chance to focus on themselves. They did not have to prepare for an opponent until after last Sunday’s Tournament reveal, so the Wolverines worked on their fundamentals.
“We've been able to play with the tops in the country, and that's because we're very focused on us,” Swords said Thursday. “And we know if we do what we can do, then we're going to have a lot of success. ” Against Holy Cross, 10 Michigan players got playing time, which could play dividends during a long tournament run.