Michigan Wolverines
Big Ten (21-10, 9-7)
Michigan put together a solid 2012-2013 campaign. Following an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2012, the experienced Wolverine squad built off of that success and competed in the Big Ten. The team may have fallen short of a Big Ten title run, but they pulled off some quality wins, including a huge victory at Purdue.
Big Wins: 1/6 at Iowa (68-64), 2/10 at Purdue (67-56), 2/16 Michigan State (70-69)
Bad Losses: 11/16 at Utah (40-59), 1/31 at Minnesota (67-82), 3/3 at Ohio State (55-66)
Coach: Kim Barnes Arico
Why They Can Surprise:
The big three at Michigan are point guard Jenny Ryan, wing Kate Thompson and center Rachel Sheffer. The senior trio has had a sniff of the big dance and is now ready to win a game or two, or even more, this time around. Ryan is the playmaker and dished out 5.2 assists per contest. She is a threat offensively as well thanks in large part to her ability to knock down the long ball. Ryan also spearheads the Wolverines strong defensive effort. While Ryan is a good shooter, Thompson is a great shooter. She ranks among the nation’s best in three-point field-goal percentage at 39.1 and three-point field-goals made per game with 3.5. Those are some lofty numbers. What makes Thompson so difficult to stop is her size. At 6-4 she can shoot over just about any opposing defender. And she has the athleticism to get around defenders who have enough size to bother her outside shot. Sheffer is the traditional post scorer and averages 12.7 points per game.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Ryan, Thompson and Sheffer will lead the way, but the Wolverines need to find production from the rest of the team too. That normally does not come in the form of scoring though. Nya Jordan is a great rebounder and another experienced senior. Jordan is really the only other potential scoring threat outside of the big three. Nicole Elmblad is a tough sophomore and a great rebounding guard and Sam Arnold can provide some depth to the frontcourt. Ryan, Thompson and Sheffer can usually do enough to win, but even they will need a bit of help if Michigan is to make a serious run in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Probable Starters:
Jenny Ryan, Senior, Guard, 10.1 ppg, 5.2 apg, 4.2 rpg
Nicole Elmblad, Sophomore, Guard, 4.4 ppg, 1.7 apg, 5.6 rpg
Kate Thompson, Senior, Guard, 14.5 ppg, 1.4 apg, 4.1 rpg
Nya Jordan, Senior, Forward, 8.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg
Rachel Sheffer, Senior, Center, 12.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Sam Arnold, Senior, Forward, 5.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Brenae Harris, Sophomore, Guard, 2.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Madison Ristovski, Freshman, Guard, 2.5 ppg, 1.5 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 61.3 (187th in nation, 10th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 54.7 (41, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 43.9 (23, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.1 (152, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.3 (63, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.2 (29, 4)
Free-Throw Percentage: 73.2 (56, 7)
Rebound Margin: 3.4 (87, 4)
Assists Per Game: 13.9 (87, 7)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.9 (31, 1)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2012 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Oklahoma
2011 NIT Round of 64 loss to Eastern Michigan
2010 NIT Round of 64 win over Kent State
2010 NIT Round of 32 win over Toledo
2010 NIT Regional Semifinal win over Northwestern
2010 NIT Regional Final win over Syracuse
2010 NIT National Semifinal loss to Miami
2008 NIT Third Round win over Southern Mississippi
2002 NIT First Round loss to Valparaiso
*all team stats through 3/7
See All Women’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
