WBB @ Harvard game notes

Figured I would post this while we're all still waiting on football tonight. 

Opponent: Harvard

Result: Win 80-66

Date:  12/2, Away

Starters: Laila Phelia, Cam Williams, Elise Stuck, Jordan Hobbs, Lauren Hansen (Stuck hasn’t started since opener)

Injuries/inactives: none, Sollom didn't play until there were 2 minutes left in the game

Offense:

• No points in the first 3 minutes of game until Phelia hit two free throws, Michigan was missing open shots and committing turnovers
• Phelia scored the team’s first 4 points off of drives to the basket, able to get going downhill against this defense, hitting her free throws
• Harvard jumping Michigan’s passing lanes above the key effectively for steals
  • Michigan also passing inaccurately, turning it over out of bounds quite a bit
• Michigan tied at 15 in the first quarter, then tied again at 31 in second quarter off of a Jordan Hobbs drive and foul for two free throws that she made
  • Hansen key during run in second quarter with a contested three and driving layup
• Took the lead for good out of halftime off of two Kampschroeder threes
  • The announcer said this was Michigan’s first three of the game, but was very wrong
• Largest lead: 22 in the fourth quarter
  • Harvard closed the game on a 12-4 run with some full court press that caused way too many turnovers for comfort. Not sure why they weren’t doing this all game. Probably because they only played 9 people all game and didn't have the legs. 

Defense:

• Harvard had the first 7 points of the game, Michigan was struggling to stay in front on defense
• Harvard’s largest lead was 9 in the first quarter, they led by 4 points at the end of the first quarter off of a buzzer beating three
• Once Turner went out, Harvard didn’t have much going on offensively. They were still able to create and hit some shots, but much less able to take the ball to the basket one on one
• 1-2-2 press in the third quarter
  • Broken, but hurried and missed basket
  • Broken into missed open three
  • Hurried into the frontcourt, travel
  • Broken, blocking foul down low by Taylor Williams then she was subbed out

Notable stats:

• 5 Michigan turnovers in first 5 minutes of the game
  • Phelia finished the game with 7 turnovers 
• Team 26-29 on free throws, definitely kept them in the game at key points
• Taylor Williams had 10 points coming off the bench with 4-4 shooting and 2-2 free throws
• Six players had 8 points or more, continuing to show depth across the team

Overall: 

• It looked like this would be quite a test for Michigan against a very good player in Harmoni Turner and refs that were calling every foul they could against both teams. But then Turner went out, Michigan hit their free throws, and sped up the pace of the game until they put it out of reach midway through the third quarter. 

Miscellaneous: 

• 2nd year Harvard head coach Carrie Moore was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Michigan for one year in 2021-22 (Naz and Elite 8 year). Took Harvard to the WNIT last year.
• Double off-setting intentional fouls in second quarter because of a tie-up with Chyra Evans, Hansen put her hands on a Harvard player that came at Evans
• Harvard star guard Harmoni Turner got injured in the middle of the second quarter on non-contact awkward landing, did not return to the game
• Referees calling a lot of small fouls in this game, but calling it relatively evenly
• Harvard’s Lavietes Pavilion may look a bit like a high school gym on camera, but is apparently the second oldest Division 1 college basketball venue behind Fordham. Has a cool glass ceiling that I would love to go see a game under.