MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Laila Phelia and Emily Kiser scored 13 points each and Michigan and survived a Penn State comeback for a 63-61 on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
The 17th-ranked and fifth-seeded Wolverines (22-8) will play fourth-seeded Ohio State in Friday quarterfinals. The Buckeyes swept Michigan in two regular-season meetings.
Leigha Brown added 12 points and nine rebounds and Elise Stuck had 11 points. Phelia and Brown, who combine to average over 35 points a game, returned after Phelia missed seven games with a lower-leg injury and Brown two games for what described in a program statement as an undisclosed “internal issue.”
Marisa McKenna and Leilani Kapinus scored 16 points each and Alexa Williamson 12 for the 13th-seeded Lady Lions (14-17). They were without second-leading scorer and their top 3-point shooter, Shay Ciezki, who injured an ankle in Wednesday’s opening-round win over Minnesota.
The Wolverines went on an 11-2 run to lead 63-54 with two minutes left. The Lady Lions scored seven straight points and had possession with about 11.8 seconds left after a held ball on a Michigan inbounds. After a timeout, the Lady Lions didn’t get to the basket and Marisa forced up a one-handed throw that hit the front of the rim from about 15 feet.
There were 17 lead changes and nine ties. Neither team had a double-digit lead. Michigan led 30-29 at halftime.
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