ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Naz Hillmon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, her 40th career double-double, leading No. 9 Michigan to a 90-71 win over short-handed No. 25 Ohio State on Friday.
Michigan (12-1, 3-0 Big Ten) led wire-to-wire, pushing its lead to double digits with a 12-3 run to end the first half up 45-31. The Wolverines scored the first nine points of the second half to push the lead to 23. A 12-3 run helped Ohio St. (9-3, 1-2) cut the deficit to 67-53 heading to the fourth, before Michigan pulled away again.
BIG PICTURE
Ohio State: This was a rivalry the Buckeyes dominated for decades, compiling a 47-6 advantage through the 2009-10 season, but not as much anymore. Michigan has claimed nine wins in the last 19 games, including two straight. Both teams have entered the game ranked in the Top 25 in four of the last nine meetings, something that hadn’t happened before 2018. Before Friday’s blowout, the previous 11 games had been decided by a total of 71 points and all by single-digit margins.
Michigan: Coming off the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance last spring, the firsts haven’t stopped coming this winter. The Wolverines posted their first top-10 ranking (and their highest ranking at No. 7 in the USA Today Coaches Poll) after a first win over a top-five opponent. Coach Kim Barnes Arico became the program’s first 200-win coach in November.
UP NEXT
Ohio State: The Buckeyes’ Monday game against Penn State was postponed, so they won’t return to the court until Thursday, when they host Illinois, a program they’ve beaten eight straight times.
Michigan: The Wolverines open the new year with a road date at Nebraska on Tuesday, taking on a Cornhuskers squad they’ve beaten in six of the last nine meetings.
