Michigan runs away with victory over Louisville, reaches second-ever Elite Eight
The Wolverines authored an 18-2 run to close the second quarter and a 20-2 surge to finish off the third quarter.
It took No. 2 Michigan six minutes and 14 seconds to get on the board Saturday against No. 3 Louisville in the NCAA tournament Fort Worth Region 3 semifinal.
That was the longest the Wolverines have gone without points to start a game this season. But that head-scratching scoring drought was an afterthought later in the afternoon following the second of two emphatic, quarter-ending runs. Michigan closed the second quarter on a 18-2 surge, turning an 11-point deficit into a five-point halftime advantage.
Then, after Louisville tied things up and even spent some time back in the lead in the third quarter, Kim Barnes Arico’s Wolverines scored 20 of the frame’s final 22 points. They entered the fourth quarter up 17 points and polished off a 71-52 win, advancing to the program’s second-ever Elite Eight and first since 2022. As usual, Michigan (28-6) was spearheaded by its sophomores.
The backcourt duo of Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, despite starting a combined 4-of-16 from the field, teamed up for 35 points. Another classmate, Te'Yala Delfosse, chipped in 10 points, eight of which came in the second quarter and helped fueled the Wolverines’ first stretch of dominance. Louisville (29-8), strapped with plenty of youth as well , was led by 18 points from center Elif Istanbulluoglu.