Michigan Ends Women's Basketball's Season, 77-76, in the WNIT Quarters

Monday, March 28

Ann Arbor, MI

7:00 P.M.

Temple University

23-12

Michigan

21-13

Temple

Michigan

Photo by: Julia Martin

Michigan Ends Women's Basketball's Season, 77-76, in the WNIT Quarters

3.28.16 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Temple women's basketball team saw the 2015-16 season come to an end, as the Owls fell just short against Michigan in the WNIT Quarterfinals, losing 77-76 on the road at the Crisler Center on Monday. Temple ends the season with a 23-12 overall record, while Michigan moves on to the semifinals with a 21-13 mark.

Michigan erased a hot start from Temple, tying the game at 60-60 by the end of the third quarter. An action-packed fourth quarter saw both teams grab leads, but in the end Michigan got the final basket on back-to-back offensive boards taking a 77-76 lead with 9.6 on the clock. Temple had a pair of possessions at the end to try to win it, but the Owls were called for an offensive foul on a driving lay-up, then forced a Michigan turnover, before the game-winning bucket rattled in and out to end the Temple run.

In her final game in cherry and white, Temple senior Erica Covile got to play in her home state for just the second time in her career. The guard finished the night with 12 points and 10 rebounds, notching a double-double for the 10th time this season and the 19th time in her career. Covile finishes with 1,076 career points, good for 18th on the Owls' all-time list, and 821 career rebounds, seventh all-time on the Temple program list.

Sophomore Donnaizha Fountain recorded a career-high 25 points to lead Temple, also adding seven rebounds and three assists. Classmate Tanaya Atkinson had 17 points and eight boards, while Alliya Butts had 11 points and a game-high five assists. Junior Feyonda Fitzgerald rounded out the scoring with eight points, also adding four assists.

Temple jumped out to a 15-2 run, as Covile drained a pair of threes and added another bucket for eight quick points. A Flaherty three from Michigan temoprarily halted Temple's run, but the Owls closed the first quarter with a Fountain three to make it a 23-9 game. Temple shot 60% (9-15) during the frame, adding four steals on defense.

A 10-0 Michigan run, with nine points coming from Madison Ristovski, started the second quarter, closing the Owl advantage to 23-18 with 6:07 on the clock. Atkinson broke the Temple scoring drought with a bucket midway through the stanza, but Michigan's Brozoski answered with a three to cut it to 25-22. After back-and-forth play in the closing minutes, it was Temple with the late surge, as the Owls made it a 10-point lead at the half, with a Fountain three making it 42-32.

At the break, Fountain led the Owls with 17 points, while Atkinson notched 13. Covile had 10 first-half points and five boards. Temple shot 57.1% (16-28) in the frame, alowing the Owls to hold a lead, despite being out-rebounded, 21-16. For Michigan, Madison Ristovski led the attack with 13 points.

Michigan opened the third quarter with another offensive spark, and after five-straight from Katelynn Flaherty, the Owls lead was done to just three, 44-41. Temple responded with back-to-back threes from Fountain and Butts to increase the advantage back to nine at 54-45. Michigan countered with a pair of baskets from Flaherty again before a three-point play from sophomore Safiya Martin made it 57-49, still in favor of Temple. The teams traded threes before a missed shot clock violation gave Michigan new life, where the Wolverines nailed a three that spurred an 8-0 run which tied the game at 60-60 at the end of three.

In the fourth quarter, both teams grabbed leads at one point, with the the Owls taking the largest, a 74-71 advantage on an Atkinson bucket with 3:29 on the clock. Michigan regained the advantage with baskets from Thome and Flaherty before Butts put the Owls on top, 76-75, with under a minute to play. Temple fought off shots on multiple offensive boards for Michigan before Thome finally connected, putting the Wolverines up 77-76 with 8.9 on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Temple's Fitzgerald was whistled for a tough offensive foul on a lay-up attempt, but the Owls forced a Michigan turnover on the in-bounds play. With 4.6 seconds on the clock, Temple had one final chance, but a Butts jumper rattled in and out, giving the game to Michigan.

The Wolverines ended the game with a 46-36 advantage on the glass, but Temple out-shot Michigan 46.9% to 41.3%.

Michigan's Flaherty had 23 points to lead four Wolverines in double figures. Ristovski finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Hallie Thome ended the night with 13 points and eight rebounds, none bigger than the offensive board before her game-winner.

Box Score (PDF)