Skip to main content

Syla Swords scores 28, No. 8 Michigan beats Nebraska ahead of Big Ten showdown against No. 2 UCLA

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Syla Swords scored 28 points and Olivia Olson had 21 to help No. 8 Michigan pull away and beat Nebraska 88-76 on Wednesday night.

The Wolverines (20-3, 11-1 Big Ten) went on a 15-6 run to take a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter and turned what was a closely contested game into a double-digit victory.

Michigan has won a school-record nine straight Big Ten games.

That streak will be put to a test Sunday at home against UCLA, the second-ranked team in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll.

Michigan has been a top-10 team for a program-record 11 consecutive weeks. The Wolverines have reached the 20-win mark for the 20th time, including 12 seasons with coach Kim Barnes Arico.

The Cornhuskers (16-7, 5-7) fell to 0-6 against AP Top 25 teams this season.

Nebraska’s Britt Prince and Amiah Hargrove scored 16 each and Petra Bozan added 12 points.

The Huskers were competitive for two-plus quarters.

They led 25-24 after an opening quarter with eight lead changes and four ties. The Wolverines turned it over six times in the first quarter and gave it up on the first possession of the second quarter before taking better care of the ball and going on a 7-0 run to take a six-point lead.

Nebraska closed the first half with eight points in 1:01 to take a 44-42 lead and went ahead by six points early in the third quarter.

Michigan surged ahead by making 6 of 8 shots to end the third, taking a 69-64 lead on Swords’ third 3-pointer.

Ashley Sofilkanich finished with nine points and 13 rebounds for the Wolverines.

Up next

Nebraska: Host Maryland on Saturday.

Michigan: Hosts No. 2 UCLA on Sunday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

Hawkeyes are set to play Vanderbilt in a November women’s basketball game in Sioux City, Iowa

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vanderbilt and Iowa, both ranked in the top 10 late last season, will meet in a women's basketball game early next season in northwest Iowa, the schools announced Tuesday. The neutral-site game is set for Nov. 15 at the Tyson Events Center, which is 290 miles from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Vanderbilt is 4-0 all-time against the Hawkeyes. This will be the teams' first meeting since 1997. The Commodores are expected to return national scoring leader Mikayla Blakes. She averaged 27 points per game and was Southeastern Conference player of the year. Vanderbilt was ranked as high as No. 5 and finished No. 10 with a 29-5 record after reaching the NCAA Sweet 16.
Read Next Story