The No. 7 Michigan women’s basketball team responded to its recent loss to No.
2 UCLA the way a top-tier program should - with grit, adjustments, and back-to-back wins that showcased both their depth and their identity. A road win at Northwestern followed by a statement victory at home over No.
13 Michigan State capped off a bounce-back week that reminded everyone why the Wolverines are a force in the Big Ten.
But this wasn’t just about wins and losses. Sunday’s win over Michigan State carried extra weight - and emotion - as the Wolverines honored one of their all-time greats.
Naz Hillmon, who helped elevate the program to national relevance, had her jersey retired in front of a packed home crowd. Hillmon’s résumé speaks for itself: First-team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, four-time First-team All-Big Ten, and the engine behind Michigan’s first-ever Elite Eight run in 2022.
Her number now hangs in the rafters, a permanent reminder of the foundation she helped build.
A Tale of Two Halves in Evanston
Michigan’s week started in Evanston, and for a while, it looked like the hangover from the UCLA loss hadn’t quite worn off. The Wolverines trailed Northwestern 37-31 at halftime, struggling to find rhythm offensively. They went just 1-for-8 from beyond the arc and coughed up the ball nine times in the opening 20 minutes.
But whatever was said in the locker room - it worked.
The second half was a different story entirely. Michigan locked in defensively, holding Northwestern to just eight points in the third quarter.
That defensive surge sparked a 25-6 run that flipped the game on its head. The Wolverines cleaned up their mistakes, committing just three turnovers after the break and dominating the glass with a 40-26 rebounding edge.
Even more impressive? They hauled in 15 offensive boards, converting those into 21 second-chance points.
That kind of hustle doesn’t just change games - it defines them.
Owning the Paint, Again
Sunday’s rivalry matchup against Michigan State had all the makings of a grind-it-out Big Ten battle - and for the first quarter, it was just that. But much like the Northwestern game, Michigan found its groove by tightening the screws defensively and asserting its will on the boards.
The second quarter was the turning point. Michigan State turned the ball over 11 times in that frame alone, and the Wolverines made them pay.
Michigan was relentless on the offensive glass and turned missed shots into opportunities, scoring 17 second-chance points in the game. That’s the kind of effort that wears opponents down - and it did.
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick summed it up bluntly: “It was all turnovers and second shots for them, which is really hard.”
It’s hard because Michigan didn’t just nibble at the edges - they dominated the core of the game. The Wolverines rebounded 40% of their own misses and forced turnovers on nearly a third of Michigan State’s possessions (31.5%). That’s a recipe for winning basketball, especially when you’re also controlling the paint.
And Michigan controlled the paint in a big way - outscoring the Spartans 50-30 inside. That physical edge was no accident. Head coach Kim Barnes Arico emphasized the importance of winning the battle down low, especially after their overtime win against the Spartans just two weeks earlier.
“We really wanted to protect the paint,” Barnes Arico said. “Looking at the end stats, we scored 50 points in the paint, they only scored 30.
They still got to the free-throw line a ton, but early on, they were kind of getting whatever they wanted. So I just think we had to settle in and try to get some stops.”
What It Means Moving Forward
This was a week that tested Michigan - mentally and physically - and they passed with flying colors. The ability to make in-game adjustments, dominate the boards, and impose their style of play is what separates contenders from the rest of the pack. And with the postseason creeping closer, these are the kinds of performances that build momentum.
The Wolverines didn’t just bounce back. They reasserted who they are: a team that’s tough, disciplined, and capable of winning in multiple ways. And on a day when one of their greatest players was honored, they delivered the kind of performance Naz Hillmon would’ve been proud of.