MINNEAPOLIS — Fifty-four of the 70 points the No. 24 Michigan women’s basketball team scored against No. 23 Minnesota were tallied by just three players — the Wolverines’ three-headed monster consisting of freshman guards Syla Swords, Olivia Olson and Mila Holloway.
Together, they brought down the Gophers, one bucket at a time.
“I hope the country had a chance to watch our three freshmen tonight,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “They were really, really special.”
Olson struck first, netting a mid-range jumper less than two minutes into the first quarter to get things started for the Wolverines. But after Olson struck, it was Swords who continued to deliver the blows.
Poised around the perimeter, senior guard Jordan Hobbs swung the ball around the arc to senior guard Greta Kampschroeder. Faced with a double team, Kampschroeder’s eyes landed on Swords, who was uncontested on the wing. Receiving the ball from Kampschroeder, Swords swiftly sunk the shot from deep for an early 8-2 lead.
“Obviously, our approach wasn’t very good,” Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit said. “(Swords) got early looks that were not overly contested looks in the first quarter. As a shooter, when you get open looks or easier looks early, you kind of get into a rhythm. … She’s a great player, and she made plays and she made shots. You still have to make them, whether they’re wide open, whether they’re slightly contested or well contested. And she made them.”
After sinking that early three, Swords indeed found some momentum. Peppering Minnesota with shot after shot, Swords racked up 12 points in the first quarter alone while going 3-for-4 from downtown.
Despite settling into a groove for the first 10 minutes of the game, Swords’ momentum ground to a halt in the second frame of the game. But that didn’t matter because that’s when the Wolverines’ other heads reared up.
For Olson, this game was always personal. Back in her home state of Minnesota, Olson was more determined than ever to get the win. So even though Michigan scored just seven points in the second frame, Olson made sure that she tallied five of those.
The Wolverines knew a halftime adjustment was needed t if they wanted to earn their first ranked win of the season. And so, its trio of freshmen took it upon themselves to do so, attacking as a unit.
“When (Syla’s) playing like she’s capable of playing, we’re just hard to stop,” Barnes Arico said. “Especially if you can get Liv and Mila playing the same way on a given night. It’s a three-headed monster for sure.”
Roughly 30 seconds into the third quarter, Olson followed a cue from Holloway and set a screen near the top of the key. Blocked by Olson, the Gophers’ defender could only watch as Holloway charged toward the basket and banked in a jumper to cut Michigan’s deficit to just two points, 37-35.
Minnesota fought to maintain its lead, but the Wolverines’ youngsters struck again.
Holloway was hunting for an opportunity to create a bucket after helping build a small 42-39 lead early in the third quarter. So when she saw Swords run around the perimeter, Holloway knew she found her chance. She quickly kicked it out to Swords, who lined up and swished the 3-pointer to solidify Michigan’s lead.
In a tight-knit game that came down to the fourth quarter, the trio’s efforts paid off as the Wolverines outscored the Gophers 17-11 in the final frame, with the freshmen combining for 13 of those points.
“I don’t think they surprised us in any way,” Plitzuweit said. “They’re very, very talented young ladies, and I thought they played at a really high level, and they did it on the road, so they deserve a lot of credit for doing that.”
Wednesday night, Swords, Olson and Holloway put that talent on full display. And with all three of them firing on all cylinders in moments where the Wolverines needed them most, they created a three-headed monster that Minnesota couldn’t slay.
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