The Michigan women’s basketball team spent last
night’s matchup with Cincinnati in a battle of wills. But
after three ties and eight lead changes, the Wolverines edged out
the Bearcats, 73-69, but not without a little help from their new
coach.

With her team down by as many as seven points in the second
half, first-year Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett invoked the much
referred to “sixth man,” bringing the Crisler Arena
crowd to life by raising her arms in the air and stomping her
feet.

Her Wolverines finally caught up with the Bearcats when
sophomore Rachael Carney nailed one of her three 3-pointers, tying
the game at 51 with 12:57 remaining. Michigan’s work to
penetrate Cincinnati’s zone defense paid off, as it shot a
remarkable 60 percent from the field.

After losing the opening jump ball, junior Tabitha Pool
initiated the scoring with a smooth jumpshot from the edge of the
key. Cincinnati responded with a basket of its own, but Michigan
junior Sierra Hauser-Price put her team back out in front, where it
remained for a much of the half.

Michigan had four fouls in the first 3:15. Burnett pulled senior
co-captain and leading scorer Jennifer Smith after she committed
two fouls in four minutes.

Senior co-captain Stephanie Gandy made up for Smith’s
absence, scoring six of the Wolverines’ 12 points. Michigan
spent the next several minutes with a comfortable six-point
lead.

“When our players got in some foul trouble in the first
half, and we had players on the floor who didn’t have as much
experience, I think that was the key to the ballgame,”
Burnett said. “Those contributions from those kids off the
bench to maintain and give us the lead … helped us play a
very intelligent basketball game.”

Then, Cincinnati’s shooting spree began. The Bearcats
scored nine unanswered points and took the lead for the first time,
33-32.

Propelled by Gandy’s on-target shooting, the Wolverines
went score-for-score with the Bearcats for the rest of the half and
trailed Cincinnati by a score of 37-36.

Returning from the lockerroom raring to go, the Wolverines took
the court ready to redeem themselves after an inconsistent first
half. This proved to be no easy task. The second half was almost a
mirror image of the first, with Michigan trying desperately to
catch up to the Bearcats, who held a similarly comfortable
six-point lead at 59-53 halfway through the second half.

Michigan took the lead on a Gandy three with 7:08 left, which
put it ahead 60-59.

Fittingly, it was Gandy who sealed the deal for Michigan. With
seven seconds remaining, she went to the line and sank two free
throws to clinch the victory for the Wolverines.

“No sweat,” said Gandy, who finished the night with
23 points. “We’re under pressure situations like that
all the time in practice.”