Michigan pulls away late, downs Belmont 68-58

After a five-game stretch in which its average margin of victory was 46.8 points, the Michigan women’s basketball team was due for a test.

On Friday against Belmont, the Wolverines were handed a tough assignment, as the Bruins hung tight throughout. But ultimately, Michigan (6-1) passed their first true test since the season opener, beating Belmont (2-4), 68-58, behind a strong run to end the third quarter.

Initially, it seemed as though the Wolverines would pull away early as they had each game during their five-game win streak. Freshman guard Syla Swords sliced through the Bruins’ defense for an early layup and 2-0 lead on their first possession. Swords’ drive was later followed by an 8-0 run, marked by two 3-pointers, separating Michigan just under four minutes into the first quarter.

But that early stretch of hot shooting soon cooled off, opening a lane for Belmont to catch up. The Bruins thinned the Wolverines’ lead to end the quarter, but Michigan finished some layups to retain a small cushion, entering the second quarter up 16-12.

As the second quarter began, though, that cold shooting caught up to the Wolverines. Shooting just 1-for-9 from the field in the first five minutes of the second quarter — including 0-for-5 from range — Michigan swung the door open for Belmont to take control. And this time, the Bruins did, sinking a few jumpers in a 9-2 run to take a slim three-point lead, 21-18.

A 3-pointer from freshman guard Mila Holloway briefly tied the game for Michigan, only for Belmont to go up by six once again. The Wolverines weren’t necessarily taking bad shots, but they simply weren’t finishing high-percentage looks. The Bruins forced Michigan to set up an offense on practically every possession, preventing the Wolverines from pushing in transition — Michigan’s proven offensive bread and butter. By taking away the Wolverines’ speed advantage in transition, Belmont evened the playing field.

A Swords and-1 putback layup tied the game entering halftime, but scoring just 27 points in the first half — its lowest scoring output in a half all season — Michigan had some work to do.

While it took an extended period of back-and-forth action, the Wolverines finally broke through thanks to freshman guard Olivia Olson. With four minutes remaining in the quarter, Olson ran coast-to-coast, finishing on the other end to seize the lead, 38-36. That bucket catalyzed Michigan’s 11-3 run to close the quarter, in which Olson scored six of her 12 third-quarter points.

Finally, it seemed as though the Wolverines found a formula for success: following Olson’s lead and attacking the basket. Led by Olson, Michigan penetrated the paint again and again, sucking in the Bruins’ defense and finishing at the rim or drawing a foul, or both.

The downhill drives opened up more shots on the perimeter, and with the added confidence from the Olson-catalyzed surge, the threes finally began to rain down.

With just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Swords splashed a corner three home. Nailing two more to open the fourth quarter, Swords sustained the Wolverines’ 11-point lead as Belmont attempted to mount a final push.

But between fouling Michigan every few possessions and the Wolverines’ newfound consistent answers from deep, the Bruins couldn’t ever close the gap.

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