Michigan got destroyed last time it played Louisville earlier in the season — could it get revenge with the program’s first-ever Final Four berth on the line?
It got out to a rocky start, with the Wolverines starting 0-for-8 from the field before Naz Hillmon finally got the maize and blue on the board with a two while being fouled. The Cardinals started out hot from 3, which caused an early deficit until the maize and blue started getting hot themselves. What was a six-point deficit quickly turned into a one-point lead with two minutes left in the first quarter — the result of a 7-0 run.
It was short-lived, as Louisville hit another 3 to take the lead back.
The Cardinals ballooned the lead back to seven in the second quarter, but the Wolverines stayed tough, cutting the deficit back to just one with 59 second remaining in the half. They continuously had opportunities, as Louisville kept turning the ball over, but nearly every time the maize and blue got the ball back, they returned the favor. A layup with three seconds left allowed the Cards to take a three-point lead into the locker room at half.
The two teams traded buckets back-and-forth to start the third quarter, but again, turnovers plagued the maize and blue, with the Louisville lead going back up to seven. The Wolverines went on a seven-plus minute field goal drought, which didn’t help matters.
Despite that, the Wolverines still found themselves within striking distance, down just seven with 2:16 remaining in the third quarter — a number which was cut to four thanks to a timely 3 by Maddie Nolan, effectively ending the field goal drought.
Thanks to the 7-0 run, suddenly, Michigan found itself within two, despite being outplayed offensively for such a long period of time. The Wolverines would take that two-point deficit into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter started with a 5-0 Louisville run to push the lead back to seven. But Michigan didn’t give up, cutting the lead to just two, yet again, halfway through the fourth quarter. The defense continued to be stifling, disallowing the Cardinals to score for a five-minute stretch. But, of course, Michigan was on a three-minute drought of its own.
But if Michigan was going to come back and win the game, it would have to do it without Leigha Brown, who was injured in the fourth quarter.
The Wolverines could not capitalize, going back down by six with two minutes remaining in the game. But Michigan couldn’t get back into it, losing to Louisville, 62-50.
Here are our five takeaways.
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