ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 20: Michigan Wolverines forward Naz Hillmon (00) wins the opening tipoff during the Michigan Wolverines versus the Wisconsin Badgers womens game on Thursday January 20, 2022 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, MI. (Photo by St …
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Naz Hillmon had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 8 Michigan rolled to an 83-44 victory over Wisconsin on Thursday night.
Leigha Brown scored 11 points and Cameron Williams added 10 for Michigan (16-2, 7-1 Big Ten), which won its fourth game in a row and is off to the best start in school history. The Wolverines previously beat the Badgers 93-81 on Dec. 9.
"I was really proud of the way we defended, especially, against Wisconsin, a team we played on their home court earlier in the season, and they scored 80 points on us," Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. "They outrebounded us in the first contest, so this was a real focus of ours, and I though we did an outstanding job."
Sydney Hilliard had 13 points for Wisconsin (4-13, 1-6), which lost for the fourth time in five games.
Michigan put the game out of reach in the second quarter. After the Badgers scored the first basket of the period, the Wolverines went on a 25-3 run, finishing with a 12-0 spurt to take a 44-17 halftime lead.
"Our kids came out with a lot of energy and a lot of confidence," Wisconsin coach Marisa Moseley said. "We punched first, and then Michigan came back, and kept coming. They really turned up the heat, and we didn’t handle the pressure very well."
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The Wolverines shot 54.7% from the floor to 31.4% for the Badgers, and outrebounded Wisconsin 42-16.
"We knew how hard they were going to come out," Hillmon said of the Badgers, who led 10-9 midway through the first quarter. "We just wanted to pick up our energy and make sure we played all 40 minutes."
It was Michigan’s 12th consecutive win over Wisconsin. The Badgers last beat Michigan on Dec. 28, 2015, 63-53 in Madison.
Wisconsin was coming off a 49-45 win at Rutgers on Sunday, its first Big Ten road victory since Feb. 2, 2020.
Hillmon recorded her seventh double-double of the season for the Wolverines, who led by as many as 43 points in the second half.
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Michigan’s previous best start was a 15-3 mark in 2012-13.
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