Head coach Kim Barnes Arico made more history for the No. 7 Michigan women’s basketball team with her 300th career win on Thursday night. Already the all-time wins leader for basketball at the University
of Michigan — men’s or women’s — Barnes Arico added another accolade to her growing list of accomplishments by becoming the first coach to reach the 300-win mark for the Wolverines.
Michigan helped Barnes Arico reach that mark with a commanding performance, exploding for 31 points in the first quarter to cement its lead. The Wolverines (16-3 overall, 7-1 Big Ten) dominated Rutgers (9-10, 1-7) end-to-end, winning in characteristic fashion, 94-60, behind aggressive defense and efficient offense.
The 34-point win was largely decided early on, when the Wolverines developed an early 18-point lead following the first quarter. In that opening quarter, Michigan disrupted the Scarlet Knights’ rhythm from the get-go. Forcing eight turnovers, four of those steals, the Wolverines never let Rutgers get comfortable. Six of those occurred in consecutive possessions early in the game, separating Michigan with a 31-13 first-quarter lead that never wavered.
Starting early and lasting throughout the game, Michigan trapped effectively and jumped passing lanes, wreaking havoc on the Scarlet Knights’ offense. The Wolverines’ 14 total steals surpassed their 11.9 per-game average, good for third-best in the Big Ten. In turn, those steals fueled Michigan’s transition offense, enabling efficient looks and paint points. The Wolverines totaled 36 points off turnovers and 44 in the paint, illustrating the effect.
Michigan’s off-ball movement opened up frequent looks on dives to the basket, finding players cutting backdoor. Midway through the third quarter, sophomore guard Olivia Olson caught the ball at the top of the key, immediately whipping it down to diving sophomore wing Kendall Dudley. In one smooth motion, Dudley laid it up for a reverse layup, extending the Wolverines’ lead to 21 points, a margin that only grew the rest of the way.
For the fourth consecutive game, Dudley’s performance impressed. Coming off the bench, she’s found meaningful ways to contribute and has found her groove offensively.
“She’s finding her way and just giving immediate impact,” Barnes Arico said postgame after a win against Wisconsin Jan. 11. “I mean, you could see the things that she sees on the floor, from her passing ability to her defensive ability. Her versatility of guarding every single position. And then, the last thing to come has been her offense. But it’s coming … she’s becoming more and more comfortable. … This is what we thought she was going to be for our program.”
Coming into her own, Dudley finished with 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the floor, along with eight rebounds and zero turnovers against the Scarlet Knights. Against undefeated No. 5 Vanderbilt, she notched a career-high 16 points. Since the calendar flipped to January, Dudley’s elevated her game to a new level and become a reliable option for the Wolverines. She’s averaged 8.7 points — 11.3 in the last four games — and collected 13 steals to boot.
Dudley rounded out a lethal and high-scoring roster that finished with five scorers in double figures against Rutgers, Olson and sophomore guard Syla Swords leading with 16 points apiece. Michigan attacked the basket, reaching the charity stripe for 31 free throws, 21 of which they converted. The Wolverines got hot from three, nailing 9-of-19, including 4-of-8 shooting from Swords and 3-of-5 from sophomore guard Mila Holloway.
Rekindling their offensive fire with confident passing and high-percentage shooting from the floor, the Wolverines ironed out some kinks from Monday’s loss. With Dudley elevating along with the rest of Michigan’s offense, the Wolverines bounced back in characteristic fashion for Barnes Arico’s 300th win.
