It took just one Michigan State player to tally more offensive rebounds than the entire Michigan women’s basketball team in Sunday’s 63-56 loss at Crisler Arena.

Redshirt junior forward Lykendra Johnson had 10 offensive rebounds and snagged 17 total. The aggressive performance by Johnson not only overshadowed the short Wolverine lineup, but also brought Michigan’s rebounding struggle to the forefront once again.

“In terms of rebounding, (Johnson) has a real high IQ of angles,” Michigan State coach Suzy Merchant said after the win. “She uses the swim move pretty well, getting over and around people, and she has the strength and the power to move people. She’s got a combination of speed and quickness with the power piece, which I think makes her a real tough box-out at times.”

Led by Johnson, the Spartans (3-0 Big Ten, 15-1 overall) dominated the boards, grabbing a total of 41 rebounds compared to a mere 24 for the Wolverines. And by the end of the game, it was evident that Michigan’s (2-2, 9-7) lack of offensive rebounding was costly.

Michigan State snagged 17 offensive boards, leading to a decisive 21 second-chance points. Along with a aggressive rebounding game, Johnson also led the Spartans in scoring with 17 points. Senior forward Brittney Thomas was another big offensive contributor for Michigan State, scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

"We're not an offensive rebounding team," Michigan coach Kevin Borseth said in early December. "We generally take our big kids and get them back for transition defense because other teams' big kids run pretty well. Our guards are probably our best offensive rebounders and as a result our guards are going back to protect the basket."

But this is not a new problem for Michigan, which has continually struggled with its rebounding the entire season. In the Big Ten, the Wolverines rank 10th in defensive rebounding and 11th in offensive rebounding.

Because of its relatively small lineup — only two starters reach six feet — Michigan knew early on that it would have difficulty with its rebounding game, especially against a Michigan State team that features three starting forwards who are over six feet tall, including Johnson.

“Offensive rebounding is a concern and it’s been a concern from the beginning,” Borseth said after Michigan’s game against Purdue. “The bottom line is that it’s a physical game and you’ve got to move people on rebounds — you’ve got to move them and grab the ball with two hands.”

And the Wolverines have not yet resolved this problem. Michigan has only tallied more than 10 offensive rebounds in five of its 16 games and has only beaten its opponent in the offensive board battle in two games. And in each of the Wolverines’ losses, their opponent has out-rebounded Michigan by more than 10 boards per game.

When Michigan is on top of it’s rebounding game, it has proven effective. During their recent three-game win streak against ranked opponents, the Wolverines tallied 34 or more rebounds in each contest. Conversely, the Wolverines are 0-5 when they do not reach 30 rebounds.

Michigan’s inability to rebound has plagued the season thus far, but there is still time to adjust. Although height is beyond the Wolverines' control, they can change their style of play, specifically by increasing their aggression under the net.

“It’s all about team rebounding and team defense,” junior guard Carmen Reynolds said in October. “And rebounding just comes down to being physical and being scrappy.”