There’s a reason that Big Ten Network announcers called Laila Phelia the “star” of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday. Now, the junior guard for the Michigan women’s basketball team has the hardware to back that recognition up.
Phelia was voted by the media to the Big Ten All-Tournament team alongside Iowa guards Caitlin Clark and Sydney Affolter, Nebraska guard Jaz Shelley and Cornhuskers forward Alexis Markowski. Phelia is the only player named to the All-Tournament team who did not compete in Sunday’s championship game, showing that despite the Wolverines’ semifinal exit, her three-game performance was worthy of a spot on the roster.
“All the things we have talked about during the course of the year: Be a leader, pour into your teammates like those who came before you and did for you — (Phelia) took those steps this weekend,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico told The Michigan Daily in a statement Tuesday. “She was just outstanding; scoring at all three levels, defending at a high level, making play after play when we needed her to make them. She shined the entire tournament and certainly looked like one of the best players in the country.”
That enhanced performance shined through when the Wolverines needed Phelia the most. Against Minnesota, Phelia drove downhill with ease. Against then-No. 12 Indiana, she then reached another level, scoring 20 of her career-high 30 points in the second half to help Michigan erase a 17-point deficit and advance to just its second-ever semifinal appearance. Whether it was guarding the opponent’s best player or switching to point guard for the first time all season midway through the game, Phelia did whatever the Wolverines asked of her.
Going head-to-head with the best players in the conference, Phelia’s numbers jump off the page. Her 30-point showing was the fourth-most in a game over the weekend, and her three 20-point games and 27 total made field goals were tied with Clark for first and second, respectively. Even from the free throw line, Phelia excelled, going 16-for-18, good for second in the tournament in both total made and attempted foul shots.
Whether it was scoring from the field or finding a way to the foul line, Phelia did everything it took to put points on the board for Michigan.
“Laila was exceptional all weekend and deserved to be recognized for it,” Barnes Arico said. “She is always great and we always count on her and she always steps up. But this was another level. The whole tournament, she was incredibly locked in, incredibly prepared and really led our team, really took those next steps.”
Phelia has stepped into a new leadership role this year, and this weekend’s conference tournament represented the apex of how much she has grown. Her previous career high was 26 points. Across the Wolverines’ three tournament games, she averaged 24.6, coming to life in the moments that mattered most.
Not only was Phelia’s ability to perform under pressure impressive, but she did so on top of a heavy workload. In conference play this season, Phelia’s 36.6 minutes per contest was the most among all Big Ten players. And in the Big Ten Tournament, Phelia averaged over 37 minutes per game and played the full 40 minutes in her career night against the Hoosiers.
“I feel like throughout the season coach has done a great job of mentally preparing me for (the increased playing time),” Phelia said postgame Friday. “Physically, of course, just getting all the recovery in that I need. Overall I feel like just the mental preparation, and onto the next.”
With nearly two weeks between Saturday’s semifinal and the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Phelia finally has extended time to recover. And a fully rested Phelia could help Michigan make a run in March — just like she did in back-to-back-to-back games in Minneapolis.