What a night for Michigan women’s basketball.
Kim Barnes Arico’s program has been building toward this kind of breakthrough, and Thursday night delivered it in full. The Wolverines took down No.
2 UConn for the biggest win in program history, a result that also stood as Michigan’s highest-ranked victory ever. It was the third top-five win in program history, but this one landed at the top of the list.
Te’Yala Delfosse powered the effort with 22 points, nine rebounds and four 3-pointers. Olivia Olson added 19 points and eight boards, while Syla Swords chipped in 10 points and knocked down three 3-pointers, including two in the first half. Michigan’s balance showed up on the biggest stage, and UConn coach Geno Auriemma made sure to acknowledge it after the loss.
“They have a team that’s more than just Syla Swords and Olivia Olson,” Auriemma said after the loss. “They are a really good team.
It’s one game for them, but they put themselves in a position, why can’t we be a Final Four team? That certainly wasn’t the case 10 years ago.”
Michigan is now 1-0 and should climb in the next AP poll. The Wolverines reached the Elite 8 last season for the second time in school history.
On the football side, Michigan is set to host one of the top defensive prospects in the 2028 class. Nasir Richardson, the No. 1 cornerback in the 2028 recruiting class according to the 247 Sports composite rankings and Rivals, will be on campus for the Michigan-Michigan State game, according to Ethan McDowell of The Wolverine.
The 6-foot, 160-pound Richardson is ranked ninth overall in the class. Michigan is one of three schools listed as “warm” by 247 Sports in his recruitment, alongside Penn State and Ohio State. Penn State has hosted him the most so far, and the Nittany Lions currently lead via the Rivals Recruiting Prediction machine, though it gives them only a 33 percent chance.
Even with Michigan’s uneven season at times, there’s still a clear pitch to make on the defensive side. The Wolverines’ cornerback room has been strong, and the pass defense has been, too.
Saturday’s rivalry game also comes with some encouraging injury news for Michigan. Rod Moore, John Henry Daley and Dominic Nichols were all upgraded from questionable to probable on Thursday night. Brady Norton is probable as well.
Shamari Earls was added to the report and is now questionable for Saturday, along with tight end Hogan Hansen.
For Michigan State, quarterback Alessio Milivojevic is questionable, while backup Cam Fancher has been ruled out.
In Other News...
Michigan Hiring Story Feels Bigger After Biff Poggis Latest Reveal
Biff Poggis latest comments added another layer to a Michigan coaching search that already carried plenty of intrigue. After Sherrone Moore was fired ahead of the bowl game against Texas because of an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, Poggi stepped in as interim head coach, taking over a program that had already leaned on him before during Moores absences. Now Poggi says he was a finalist for the full-time job before Kyle Whittingham was hired, a reminder that the Wolverines post-Moore transition was more complicated than it first appeared.
Poggi also made clear he has no issue with the direction Michigan ultimately took, even as Whittingham faces the usual challenge of adjusting to the Big Ten. For a program that has spent the past stretch dealing with abrupt change at the top, the revelation only underscores how many moving parts were in play behind the scenes. It also leaves open a familiar question around Ann Arbor: how much different might the coaching picture have looked if the search had broken another way? [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Added A Famous Wolverine To Rivalry Week
Rivalry week at Michigan Stadium is getting a little extra star power, with the Wolverines adding actor Hugh Jackman to the mix for Saturdays matchup against Michigan State. Michigan announced the news on social media, sharing a video of Jackman expressing his excitement about the honorary role as the team gears up for one of the biggest dates on the calendar.
The timing only adds to the buzz around a game that already carries plenty of weight for both sides, especially with the broadcast set for Peacock and NBCSN. Michigan has made a habit of leaning into the pageantry of this rivalry, and bringing in a global name like Jackman gives the day an added spotlight before the teams even take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces One Last Chance To Flip This Rivalry Mood
Michigan State and Michigan are heading into their rivalry game with plenty of frustration hanging over both sidelines, but the mood around the matchup is different after the Wolverines steadied themselves with a close win. Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr gave Michigan a needed lift in that game, and now the focus shifts to a meeting that always carries extra weight, even when the records are not where either side wanted them to be.
For the Spartans, the timing could hardly be more delicate. They have dropped six straight and are still sorting through the status of their starting quarterback because of injury, which leaves a lot riding on how they respond in a game that means more than the standings suggest. Both programs and both coaches know the rivalry can reset a seasons conversation in a hurry, and Michigan State still has one last chance to change the tone before this one is over. [Read more 🡒]