However, with the impending graduation of the Wolverines’ two co-captains, seniors Hallie Thome and Nicole Munger — two other program legends who played alongside Flaherty the prior three seasons —the same questions are, once again, arising.
In a stunning turn of events, sophomore guard Deja Church announced via Twitter that she will not be returning to the Michigan women’s basketball team next season.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — From the tip, the game followed a frenetic pace. Egged on by a sea of red, the top-seeded Cardinals jumped out to a quick start.
Those plays may not have resulted in anything other a few extra bruises for Munger but they did set the tone early for the Michigan women’s basketball team in its dominant performance against the Wildcats.
In the Michigan women’s basketball team’s (22-11) 84-54 win over Kansas State, that statement couldn’t have been more true, as it used two lengthy scoring spurts and stingy defense to defeat the Wildcats (21-12) and set up a date with top-seeded Lousiville on Sunday.
But now in her seventh season at the helm of the Michigan women’s basketball team (21-11 overall, 11-7 Big Ten), Barnes Arico can contextualize Auriemma’s sentiment. On Monday, the Wolverines got a tournament bid for the second straight year — but it hasn’t always been that way.
As the No. 8 seed in the Albany Region, Michigan will face Kansas State in the Round of 64. The two teams will meet on Friday in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Michigan women’s basketball coach applauded the Wolverines’ effort and execution throughout the press conference, but when asked specifically about the development of freshman point guard Amy Dilk, she took her praise to another level.
Guided by their star co-captain seniors, guard Nicole Munger and center Hallie Thome, and a pair of standout freshmen in guard Amy Dilk and forward Naz Hillmon the Wolverines are now on the cusp of their second-straight NCAA Tournament berth.
The Daily breaks down the seasons these four players put together.
The Michigan women’s basketball players walked off the court at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis with their heads down. Following a heart-wrenching 73-72 defeat to top-seeded Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, it was hard for players and coaches to remember that the game was by no means the end of their season.