The upset bid against second-ranked USC and Juju Watkins fell short for the Michigan women's basketball team on Saturday.
USC won 82-70 when it was all said and done. However, the game was much closer than the final score. Michigan women's basketball led by two points at the half and by as many as nine.
The score was 60-60 when Watkins and the Trojans took control. Michigan got cold and USC advanced to the Big Ten title game. Michigan women's basketball advanced to the Big Ten semis for the second straight season.
Yet, USC is a juggernaut. The difference between the elite teams and the non-elite teams is usually much larger in women's basketball. Yet, the Wolverines, led by three freshman, including two five-star standouts in Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, gave the Trojans all they could handle.
There is a great mix of veterans, too, such as Jordan Hobbs, who scored 23 points in the win over Maryland on Thursday. Swords was incredible in defeat, scoring 26 points. Olson added 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Hobbs had 12.
Watkins is maybe the best player in college basketball and Swords looked like she belonged. So did the entire Michigan women's basketball team. The Michigan Wolverines will be headed to the NCAA tournament next week and if they play how they did the past three days, they will be a tough out.
Michigan Wolverines baseball rallies for series win
The Michigan Wolverines opened the Big Ten season with a series win over Illinos, which they clinched with a 6-5 win over Illinois thanks to three runs in the ninth to overcome a 5-3 deficit.
Following a Joe Longo home run to lead off the ninth, Noah Miller belted a game-tying double in the ninth inning for Michigan baseball. Eventually, the bases were loaded for Jonathan Kim, who delivered a game-winning RBI single.
Cade Connolly (2-1) retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to cement the 6-5 win and earn his second decision of the season. Jeter Ybarra had two doubles for Michigan baseball in the win. He also scored a run. Kim also had two hits and an RBI as the Wolverines improved to 8-5 on the season, thanks to their first Big Ten series win. Michigan will play Illinois in the third game of the series on Sunday.
Michigan hockey eliminated from the Big Ten tournament
After a 6-5 loss in overtime on Friday in the first game of the Big Ten quarterfinals, Michigan hockey dropped a second straight game on home ice, 5-2, to the Nittany Lions to get eliminated from the tournament. Nick Moldenhauer and William Whitelaw scored for the Michigan Wolverines.
Michigan hockey (18-5-3) will have to wait and see if it earns an at-large selection to the NCAA hockey tournament after three consecutive trips to the Frozen Four.