Toledo stuns Michigan, hands Wolverines first loss of season
An unexpected test visited Crisler Center on Thursday night in the form of the Toledo Rockets. Michigan fell behind early, and couldn't make up the deficit as it dropped its first game of the season in stunning fashion.
Toledo came ready to play as the Rockets jumped out to an early 16-8 lead in the first quarter. Guards Nan Garcia and Sophia Wiard let the way for Toledo in the early going, and the two played a big role in helping their team to the upset victory.
It was a rough shooting night for Michigan, to say the least. The Wolverines put up just 13 points in the first quarter, and no player had more than three points through the game's first 10 minutes.
Greta Kampschroeder connected on a three-pointer in the first quarter, and she led the team in points. Five other Wolverines all made a bucket, but the offense was hard to come by early on.
The second quarter didn't fare much better for Barnes Arico's team, and Michigan found itself down by 11 points after the first half. Michigan gave up 42 points to Toledo through 20 minutes, which marked the worst defensive performance in a half so far this season for the Wolverines.
The third quarter was still a struggle for Michigan, which found itself in a true upset bid with one quarter to play. Consistent bucket-getters Emily Kiser, Laila Phelia and Leigha Brown weren't as efficient as they typically are, and the Wolverines didn't have any momentum going into the final 10 minutes.
However, Michigan turned up the intensity in the fourth quarter. Phelia and Brown found their rhythm as the game approached the final minutes, and the Wolverines regained the lead on multiple different occasions with just seconds remaining.
Toledo scored a layup on an inbounds play from under the basket, which turned out to be the game-winning bucket.
The loss is the first blemish on Michigan's record this season, and the Wolverines will have to sit on this loss for a while. The team will take an extended break for final exams, and they won't take the floor again until Dec. 17 when they welcome Appalachian State to the Crisler Center.
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