The No. 6 Michigan women’s basketball team has made transition dominance a point of emphasis all season. Saturday against Akron, it followed this script.
Instantly applying pressure, the Wolverines picked up defensively the whole length of the floor. This pressure led to four Zips turnovers in the first three minutes as Michigan began to run out in transition.
In the moments Akron successfully broke the Wolverines’ dangerous press, offense didn’t come easily. Michigan’s knack for racing down the floor and picking up a man consistently halted any offensive rhythm. Even when it looked as if the Zips had numbers, the Wolverines’ defensive communication led to Akron having to slow the pace in the half court.
“In transition, just our pressure up front really slowed them down,” junior forward Ashley Sofilkanich said. “We didn’t allow them to get into any transition offense.”
When Michigan forced turnovers, the story was completely different. The Wolverines turned the Zips over 28 times and managed to collect 26 points off of those miscues. This efficiency highlights Michigan’s ability to quickly turn defense into offense, driven by an up-tempo approach.
Regardless of how Akron managed its offensive possessions, the Wolverines remained consistent by carrying the same transition-oriented approach. On a defensive rebound, very rarely did Michigan take its time getting up the floor. Instead, rebounds turned into running opportunities as the Wolverines quickly looked to gain numbers.
Even when the Zips connected on their shots, Michigan continued to play fast, creating additional opportunities in transition.
About halfway through the third quarter, Akron hit a three-pointer that allowed the Wolverines to display their transition-based offense even on a made basket. Sophomore guard Mila Holloway secured the inbound pass and heaved it to sophomore guard Syla Swords as she sprinted up the court. Without hesitation, Swords drifted to the basket for an easy layup. Time and time again, Akron got burnt through this playstyle.
“A lot of that goes down to the way we want to play,” Swords said. “We have a lot of players that are strong in transition and that helps, too.”
Holloway often led these transition opportunities. Her extraordinary court vision was evident throughout all four quarters, and with the ball in her hands, she faced several options. With space and momentum, Holloway consistently used her speed to get downhill. And in other situations, when the defense collapsed, she hit her open teammates who continued to knock down shots. This versatility allowed the Wolverines to develop an offensive rhythm.
“Mila is elite, she is one of the best point guards in the country,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “Her ability to make others better around her is incredible. … She’s such a great passer, such a great scorer and she does a little bit of everything for us.”
It wasn’t just Holloway. Every player who stepped on the court seemed comfortable pushing the pace and swinging the ball around to find open shots. The Wolverines’ transition dominance on both sides of the ball was also reflected through the box score. They scored 18 fast-break points, and shut out Akron in the same statistic.
Michigan’s transition-oriented style allowed little time for the Zips to rest. Finding success early, the Wolverines continued to play through this strength, and utilized it throughout all 40 minutes — beating Akron through their speed and decision making.
