Wolverines' Size Provides Challenge for Oilers in Exhibition Contest
Ann Arbor, Michigan – The University of Findlay women's basketball team, picked first in the preseason Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) poll, kicked off their 2018-19 campaign on a big stage, an exhibition contest against the University of Michigan Wolverines in the Crisler Center. Michigan's length and size proved to be too much for the Oilers to handle as the Maize and Blue would earn an 84-38 victory over their Division II opponent. The matchup marked the second consecutive season in which the Oilers saw live game action against a major Division I opponent that had appeared and won in the NCAA Tournament the year prior and the second time in five years that Findlay traveled to take on a Big Ten opponent.
The Wolverines came out strong and built a lead three minutes into the game when 6-5 senior all-Big Ten performer Hallie Thome made a pair of free throws to extend Michigan's lead to 10-2. Findlay battled back and cut that lead to 12-9 midway through the first quarter on a corner three by senior Lauren Ruth.
That was as close as the Oilers would get as Michigan would close out the first half on a 9-2 run to take a 21-11 lead out of the first quarter and a 38-19 lead at the half. The Wolverines outscored Findlay 46-19 in the second half to seal the victory in their first exhibition of the season.
Senior Anna Hintz, an all-conference performer a season ago, led the Oilers with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting despite being guarded by the Wolverines 6-5 center most of the night. Hintz, who had to sit much of the first half due to foul trouble, also snagged five rebounds in a losing effort.
Seniors Dana Fricke and Lauren Ruth each hit a pair of threes in the contest to finish with six and eight points, respectively. Ruth also added four boards.
Findlay's leading rebounder was a tall forward of their own as the 6-3 freshman Sydney Kin pulled down seven rebounds. A second quarter jump shot found the bottom of the net to give Kin her first bucket of the preseason as she would finish with two points.
For Michigan, Thome, one of the top centers in the country, finished with 14 points and a team-high six rebounds while guards Nicole Munger and Deja Church scored 15 apiece. Munger added five rebounds and three steals while Church had three rebounds and a team-high four assists.
Michigan outshot the Oilers 58% (29-for-50) to 32.6% (14-for-43) but both squads were even from deep at 35.7% (5-for-14). The Wolverines held the edge on the boards at 31-to-26, had more blocks and steals, and less turnovers than Findlay.
Findlay is not done with Division I action as they will travel to the University of Toledo this Saturday to take on the Rockets in Savage Hall. The game, played on Nov. 3, will tip off at noon.