SAN ANTONIO — Leigha Brown scored 23 points and Naz Hillmon added 19 to lead No. 6 seed Michigan to its first Sweet 16 appearance with a 70-55 win over third-seeded Tennessee on Tuesday in the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines had been 0-5 in the second round before pulling off the victory over the Lady Vols. As the final buzzer sounded, the Michigan players jumped into a group hug at center court and sang “it’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine.”
Michigan's All-American Naz Hillmon got emotional talking about the program's first trip to the Sweet 16.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 24, 2021
"I've gotten a lot of individual accolades and they're always great," @nazhillmon said. "But to be finally recognized as a team is the best accolade that I could ever get." pic.twitter.com/SDWgcDQ33G
Leading 18-16 with eight minutes left in the first half, Michigan (16-5) held Tennessee to just one field goal the rest of the second quarter and built a 28-19 halftime lead. The Lady Vols missed their final seven shots of the period and ended their drought 1:18 into the third quarter. The Lady Vols’ deficit grew to 17 points as Michigan went on a 22-7 run spanning the quarters.
Tennessee (17-8) trailed by 15 heading into the fourth quarter and was able to cut its deficit to 54-44 with under 5 minutes left before a 3-pointer by Danielle Rauch and a steal and layup by Brown restored the 15-point cushion. Tennessee couldn’t get closer than nine the rest of the way.
Hillmon, the Big Ten Player of the Year, also had 15 rebounds as the Wolverines more than held their own on the glass against the Lady Vols, outrebounding them 42-40.
Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico after leading the program to its first Sweet 16:
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 24, 2021
“Michigan is not only a football and men’s basketball school. It’s also a women’s basketball school," @KBA_GoBlue said. pic.twitter.com/ypaOIZoY9l
A trip to the regional semifinals was just another first for the Wolverines this year. The team started 10-0 for the first time in school history. They were also in the rankings all season for the first-time, as well as having Hillmon be the first player to earn All-America honors as a second-teamer.
Tennessee, which has a long storied NCAA tradition with eight national championships, fell to 28-3 in the second round.
Rennia Davis scored 12 points to lead the Lady Vols, who were playing Michigan for the first time.
TIP-INS:
Tennessee was just 2 for 14 from behind the 3-point arc with the first make coming early in the fourth quarter after nine misses. ... Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico took St. John’s to the Sweet 16 as a three-seed in 2012.
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Michigan was still without starting point guard Amy Dilk, who didn’t make the trip because of an undisclosed medical issue that the school wouldn’t elaborate on. Rauch got the start in her place again and had five points, six rebounds and three assists.
UP NEXT:
Michigan plays the winner of Virginia Tech-Baylor in the Sweet 16.
