The No. 2 seed Michigan women’s basketball team opened its NCAA Tournament run against No. 15 seed Holy Cross, returning to form and to the second round for the second consecutive year.
The Wolverines unleashed an electrifying first quarter, powered by transition offense and paint points, to amass a 21-point lead. Michigan (26-6) deployed a balanced attack, including five players reaching double figures, to vanquish the Crusaders (23-10), 83-48.
“I was really happy with the way that our team came out
of the gates,” head coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “It’s been a minute since we had our last game, and we’ve been prepping for like 10 practices, so I thought we came out with great defense, great intensity, and really making shots on the offensive end. Holy Cross is a really solid team, and they were coming off a championship. It’s nice to survive and advance, be one of 32 teams left playing and moving on.”
The Wolverines imposed a dynamic offense with relentless pace early on, setting the tone and punching first. Michigan attacked the paint from its first possession, beginning with sophomore guard Mila Holloway’s pull-up jumper, amassing 10 quick paint points before Holy Cross found the net.
The Wolverines scored 18 of 27 first-quarter points in the paint, including 10 second-chance points off five offensive rebounds. They were relentless and efficient, with sophomore guard Syla Swords knocking down each of her first three shots for seven points.
And with the ball in her hand towards the end of the frame, Holloway showcased why she’s been the starting point guard since her first day in a Michigan uniform. She dribbled the ball effortlessly near the logo, and with 11 seconds left, darted past her defender to the top of the key, pulling up into a nothing-but-net three-pointer, her first of five, to close the quarter with a dominant 27-6 lead.
“Something so great and awesome about our team is that we’re able to, when we want to, is to step on people’s throats,” senior forward Alyssa Crockett said. “And I think that’s what makes it so much easier, flowing into the game. When they start to come back and then things shift, it’s always good to punch first, because you have that bridge at the beginning of the game, and then sometimes we lose a little bit of sight in either the second or the third quarter. But we’re a very-knit team, and we’re very determined to keep it rolling, and Coach Arico keeps that standard ahead of us.”
While the second and third quarters lagged behind the first — Holy Cross played the Wolverines tight and were only outscored by two points — Michigan kept the Crusaders at arm’s length. The Wolverines’ goal of limiting Holy Cross to 14 or fewer points per quarter was achieved in all but the second, in which the Crusaders netted 16. Throughout it all, though, was Holloway.
Finishing with a 20-point near-triple-double including eight rebounds and seven assists, Holloway had the ball on a string facilitating the offense. She took what she pleased from the Holy Cross defense, driving, passing, or sitting open in the corner waiting to cash in on another triple.
“I mean, she’s a great player,” junior forward Ashley Sofilkanich said. “She has such a high IQ as a basketball player as well, great ball handler and even a better shooter and teammate. I think when she can get those open shots and she can get to her pull up or even get downhill, it’s going to be a great day for the Wolverines in general. So just getting her the ball, getting her skip passes, setting her great screens, really just her reading her defense and making the right play.”
Holloway’s basketball IQ and hustle was on full display as she — in tandem with senior guard Brooke Quarles Daniels — orchestrated the press. She snagged three steals, leading the team’s total of 10, while finishing with a game-leading +/- of +28 on-court differential. Yet she was the maestro conducting the entire tempo of the game, from her defensive pressure to the tone she set offensively.
“It starts with her pace, coming up the floor, finding people in transition,” Crockett said. “If she doesn’t have anything, she’s constantly probing, trying to find other options. And then she always puts herself last. I think that’s what makes Mila so special is that she’s always attacking to score, but in her mind, the first thing is getting her teammates open and getting her teammates shots. So that’s the type of point guard you want to have.”
Holloway’s team-first mentality bolstered Michigan’s end-to-end success against the Crusaders, contributing to the Wolverines’ 14 fast-break points in a game that was never in doubt.
Following the win, the Wolverines will face the winner of No. 7 seed North Carolina State and No. 10 seed Tennessee on Sunday at a time to be determined.
