Did anyone watch the game. I’m watching it now via replay on B1G+ and I’m at the end of the third quarter. WHAT on earth was that BS call on Leigha Brown as time was expiring?!? The Baylor player just shot the ball and fell down, literally threw it up and fell to the floor. Brown was running past the girl with her hands in the air, straight up, and there was absolutely NO contact. None. The officials then went to the monitor to see if the “foul” was called before the quarter ended. They HAD to see that there was no foul, BUT they couldn’t take the foul away even though there was no foul, so the Baylor player stepped to the line and made two free throws! Brown, who didn’t foul the girl and did everything she could to avoid fouling her was saddled with three fouls!
That sequence is EXACTLY why people complain about officiating. Now, it was a mistake and humans make mistakes, and it didn’t end up costing Michigan as we ended up winning in OT. BUT…I can’t even imagine what the official must have thought after seeing it on replay! And how would she have felt if Michigan had LOST the game?
OK, now I’m at the end of the game. First, I don’t think Naz’s fifth foul was the right call. It was a no call in my opinion because honestly there was almost no contact and what very little contact there might have been was initiated by the right arm and elbow of the Baylor player. There is a lot of contact in women’s basketball, a lot of body on body that is not called, to call a fifth foul on an All American in that situation, late in the game, 20 feet from the basket, sorry, don’t think that one should have been called.
And THEN, at the end of the game, the ball CLEARLY went out of bounds off of the Baylor player. It was undeniable. What do they say, “indisputable visual evidence?” My goodness, if anything was ever indisputable that was it! Again, doesn’t matter because we ended up winning the game. Except that it DOES matter. These kids and coaches work too hard and care too much for it not to matter!
I watched it live and kept thinking all the iffy/bad calls were going against Michigan. I hate to be that person, so I was trying to find similar questionable calls the other way, but it felt really one-sided. It was nice to see the team keep making critical plays to win in the end.
They’re a fun group to watch.
It was also nice to see Amy Dilk on the bench and appearing to be in uniform - has anyone heard an update on her status?
Yeah, it was great to see Dilk in uniform. The @umichwbball Instagram videos showed her participating in warmups as well. Sure hoping that with the long layoff between now and the Ohio State game she’ll be able to get close enough to be able to play. There’s no way she’ll be ready to go full-speed for starter’s minutes, but getting her back for conference play is huge. Haven’t seen any updates, but seeing her in uniform was a very encouraging sign.
What a terrific group of young ladies! These girls truly play for the love of the game, the love of their teammates and coaches, and the love of their school. As a long time coach who stressed academic athletics, teamwork, and playing for each other and because you love playing and representing your school, these young ladies make me so proud. They are the epitome of outstanding students and citizens who are also wonderful basketball players!
Yeah, @downtownljb, I can’t imagine how I would have reacted if I had been watching it live and didn’t know it was going to be alright in the end. What resilience to fight through some of adversity they faced! GREAT win for the program.
Thanks for answering my unasked question @bmcarteruiuc. I was thinking about Amy Dilk. We are playing this way without her, and she’s such an important part of this team. It’s encouraging and exciting to think she may be back soon!
Finally, who says we only have one All-American on this team. If Leigha Brown isn’t an All-American I don’t know what you have to do or how good you have to be. She’s such a tough competitor and a terrific basketball player! And the depth of this team is amazing, too! 
As for the reffing I think they get intimidated by certain teams coaches and thus the calls. I agree the foul on Brown was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen. The Baylor gal just ran into her chucking the ball up and the ref said foul against a 3pt shooter. It turned out alright in the end. The M ladies jumped to #8 in the polls this week.
I watched it live and after that terrible call and video evidence that it was, indeed, a terrible call, they may call it a non shooting foul to at least minimize the damage, but nope. Then I thought that they would surely give Michigan a make up call, but nope again. Instead, as you saw, they kept making bad call after bad call in Baylor’s favor. It’s a damn good thing we won the game.
Excellent write up. I think you captured the essence of the game and this team.
I love watching Brown play. So talented and a fierce competitor. After that late foul, she looked like she was ready to throw down against the Baylor player that fouled her and she was restrained by her teammates. Love this team. Would like to see some of that enthusiasm in the mens team (as well as the free throw shooting).