Michigan back to No. 19 in this week's AP Poll after loss to Toledo
The Michigan women's basketball team lost its first game of the season last week in stunning fashion to the Toledo Rockets. It was a poor shooting night from the team as a whole, and the Wolverines' comeback bid came up just short. Due to the loss, Michigan dropped five spots to No. 19 in the latest AP Poll.
Toledo jumped out to a surprising 16-8 lead over Michigan, and the Wolverines spend most of the game playing catch up. Kim Barnes Arico's team shot 40% or below from the field in all of the first three quarters before they came to life in the fourth quarter.
It was a well rounded performance from the Rockets, which finished with five scorers in double figures. Guards Sophia Wiard and Nan Garcia led the way as they combined for 29 points in the victory.
After three quarters of poor basketball, Michigan began to close the gap. Laila Phelia and Leigha Brown did everything they could to will their team to victory, and with 2:22 to play in the game, freshman forward Chyra Evans made a layup which tied the game.
Phelia followed it up with a layup of her own, which gave Michigan its first lead since the 8:13 mark in the first quarter when it led, 4-2.
However, the feisty resilience of the Sammi Mikonowicz and the Rockets helped them pull off the upset. Mikonowicz scored Toledo's final four points as she drilled a jumper and two free throws to knock off the Wolverines.
Because of a built-in break for final exams, Michigan didn't play a second game over the weekend, and it dropped five spots in the rankings after the loss. The team will have much of this week off as well before it is scheduled to host Appalachian State on Saturday, Dec. 17 at noon.
Below is the full AP Top 25:
1. South Carolina
2. Stanford
3. Ohio State
4. Indiana
5. Notre Dame
6. Virginia Tech
7. North Carolina
8. NC State
9. UConn
10. UCLA
11. LSU
12. Iowa
13. Utah
14. Iowa State
15. Maryland
16. Oregon
17. Creighton
18. Baylor
19. Michigan
20. Arizona
21. Arkansas
22. Kansas
23. Gonzaga
24. Oklahoma
25. Villanova
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @DavisMoseley, @lucasreimink, @JaredHalus
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram