UM bounces Rockets from WNIT
3/21/2010ANN ARBOR — They began the season here and ended the season here.
In between, the University of Toledo women's basketball team put together its best season since 2001 but ultimately saw it come to an end yesterday with a 72-57 loss to Michigan in front of 2,123 fans at Crisler Arena in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
“In the last two years, we've grown up a lot,” UT coach Tricia Cullop said. “I do think we've set the standard a lot higher. Our younger kids are going to have to work hard in the offseason to uphold the legacy that our seniors are going to leave for this program. The bar is higher now.”
The Rockets and Wolverines squared off in a preseason closed-door scrimmage here in early November, which helped wear off some of the shock factor for UT of playing in a Big Ten arena.
But it could not offset a woeful shooting streak yesterday that doomed the Rockets (25-9) and allowed UM to open the second half with a 23-2 run.
Sophomore forward Carmen Reynolds capped off the surge with an offensive rebound putback that gave the Wolverines (19-13) an insurmountable 52-36 advantage with 8:12 to play.