While the No. 6 Michigan women’s basketball team usually thrives playing around the perimeter, its matchup against Akron proved to be quite the shakeup. The Zips stunted their usual play style, but the Wolverines still managed to seal the game away from inside the paint.
Establishing a strong presence in the paint both offensively and defensively, Michigan (9-1) triumphed 85-59 over Akron (1-8). The Wolverines’ domination came from a culmination of rebounding, blocks, forcing fouls and most importantly paint scoring itself, all of which came together to deliver the strong victory.
“They were ready for our pressure,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “They’ve had ten days to prepare for (us). And (we were) effective, but not as effective as it typically is. But we found our way.”
The Wolverines adapted to their early lack of 3-pointers and offensive rebounds by pushing themselves in toward the paint and finding scoring opportunities there. This new style of play allowed their forwards to shine. After a pair of free throws for the Zips, it was sophomore forward Kendall Dudley who came off the bench and found an opportunity in the fastbreak for a quick clean layup. Also contributing a strong block in the quarter, she prevailed on both sides of the court.
Junior forward Ashley Sofilkanich found similar success, leading the way as one of Michigan’s top point scorers with 17 in the game. With seven points in the first quarter she anchored the offense while reviving their offensive rebound capabilities that were lacking early on. She turned many of those boards into scoring opportunities, notching two second-chance layups as the quarter closed out, giving the Wolverines a 23-15 lead.
“It’s a lot of work off the court with my post coach,” Sofilkanich said. “And just working on my touch and quick finishes and my teammates getting me the ball really helped.”
The second quarter saw a return to form in Michigan’s three point shooting and offensive rebounding, but that didn’t stunt its paint power. Sophomore guards Syla Swords and Olivia Olson worked in tandem for a stretch of the quarter, with the former grabbing a pair of defensive boards that fueled the latter’s pair of layups.
The Wolverines also found success in eliciting fouls from their opponents in the paint. During the first of Olson’s layups from Swords, her driving momentum forced Akron to foul her as they attempted to block her, giving Michigan another point off of a free throw.
With a 48-30 lead going into the second half, a similar, but heightened pattern played out for the Wolverines. Of their 37 points in the quarter, 28 of them were scored within the paint. While many of the defensive statistics of the game were quite levelled in the first half, Michigan dominated in the second half. Boxing the Zips out of the paint, the Wolverines garnered an additional 21 defensive boards that ultimately allowed them to seal the game away.
In another commanding win, Michigan’s adaptability reached new heights. In a style that they don’t typically play, the Wolverines didn’t just notch another victory, they soared to a 20+ point lead underscoring that, even on an off day, their floor is far from low.
