Michigan WBB Readies for Home Opener After Close Loss to No. 1 South Carolina

A freshman put herself on the map in the Hall of Fame Series Monday as Michigan (0-1) nearly knocked off defending national champion No. 1 South Carolina by a score of 68-62. Guard Syla Swords had a 27 point double-double (12 rebounds) in her maize and blue debut. Swords was the highest ranked recruit in program history, and last summer she became Canada’s youngest basketball player to ever compete in the Olympics.

Michigan WBB Readies for Home Opener

Michigan was up 38-37 at halftime but struggled to put the ball in the hoop in the final two quarters. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley figured out how her team was getting beat and it allowed just 13 points in the third and 11 points in the fourth. Depth seemed to come into play as Michigan’s bench scored just six points compared to South Carolina’s 29. 

Senior guard Jordan Hobbs was the only other Wolverine that scored in double figures with 19 points to go along with eight rebounds. Junior center Yulia Grabovskaia had a team-high two blocks in her Michigan debut. Grabovskaia (Middle Tennessee) is one of many newcomers in Ann Arbor this season. 

The Wolverines have five straight home games headed their way, beginning with a 7 p.m. matchup against Lehigh (1-0) tonight. 

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