This season has been a tale of two roads for the Michigan women's basketball team.

In coach Kevin Borseth's second season at the helm, the Wolverines have managed a 6-2 record at Crisler arena, downing perennial powerhouses Vanderbilt and Notre Dame along the way. We'll call this the "Yellow Brick Road."

But on the road, away from comfortable Ann Arbor — well, that's a different story. Michigan is a dismal 1-7. The team has lost easy matchups it needed to win to build a worthy NCAA Tournament resume. This is more like "The Road To Perdition."

So, where does the team stand at midseason?

At a crossroads, that's for sure. Here's how the Wolverines stacked up in the first half of the season.

The "Follow The Yellow Brick Road" Award (best team performance): This is an easy one — Michigan's 63-59 overtime win over then-No. 8 Notre Dame. Last season, the Lady Irish embarrassed the Wolverines by 30 in South Bend. In this redemption game, Michigan played its most well-rounded game of the year, shutting down the Irish offense and hitting clutch shots on the other end. A marquee win like this could get the attention of the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

"The Road to Perdition" Award (worst team performance): A 58-49 loss to Akron — ouch, that one hurts. The Wolverines' loss to the Zips sent the squad on a road-game tailspin that hasn't ended yet. Michigan shot a season-low 29 percent and had 22 turnovers. What's with the Mid-American Conference owning Michigan this year, anyway?

The Houdini Award (most noticeable disappearance): Junior Krista Phillips runs away with this award. With opposing defenses paying extra attention to the six-foot-six-inch center, her production has vanished this season. After a sophomore campaign that saw her average 10 points and six rebounds, Phillips been replaced on the court by senior Stephany Skrba. Four points a game isn't going to cut it from someone who was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last year.

Overachiever Award: Congratulations, sophomore Veronica Hicks. Since the beginning of the season, the guard has inched her way into the lineup and solidified the open spot left by Janelle Cooper after she graduated last year. Hicks's offensive game — she's reached double-figure points in four of the last five games — is finally starting to catch up with her stellar defense.

MVP: Yes, senior Jessica Minnfield has shot just 23 percent from 3-point range, but she's not necessarily the Most Valuable Player for her statistical contributions. But she is, hands down, the Wolverines' floor general. And when she's on the bench, the team lacks the poise and aggressiveness that are vital to a team's success. Michigan's fate rests squarely on Minnfield's back.