Big Ten Player Spotlight: Hallie Thome, Michigan
By Jared Hines
An indispensable senior.
While the 11-6 Wolverines didn’t win both their games this week, there is a good chance that Michigan would have gone 0-2 if it wasn’t for Hallie Thome. The Senior 6’5’ center from Chagrin Falls, Ohio had two double-doubles in the week as the Wolverines defeated Northwestern 79-78 before falling to No. 9 Maryland 83-69.
Thome was one of four Wolverines to score double figures in the team’s win over Northwestern on Jan. 8. While Naz Hillmon led the team with 21 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, Thome got 11 rebounds of her own while contributing 17 points. The Two-time All-Big Ten first team star also had three blocks and two assists in the win, posting her first double-double of the 2018-19 season.
17 points were Thome’s season-high at the time, but four days later she set a new season high with 25 points in the loss to Maryland. Thome was electric, pulling down ten rebounds for her second straight double-double while adding another block. It was the sixth straight game that she scored double figures and the seventh game this season that Thome has registered at least one block. Her 25 points were the most since posting four straight 20-point games to close out the 2017-18 season.
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In 400 minutes this season, Thome has started all 17 games while shooting 59.7 percent from the field. Thome has also scored 232 points —13.6 per game — while pulling down 104 rebounds. Her 16 shots in the team’s last game were the most the senior has taken all season, making 11 of them (68.8 percent).
The Wolverines are in a brutal part of the Big Ten schedule as the team travels to No. 17 Iowa on Jan. 17. From there, Michigan hosts Ohio State on Jan. 20 before three straight games against teams ranked in the top-25. The Hoosiers host the Wolverines on Jan. 24 while welcoming Michigan State on Jan. 27 and Iowa on Jan. 31. Michigan is currently 2-3 in the conference standings and is one of nine Big Ten teams with ten or more wins this season. In order for that number to increase, Thome and company are going to have to keep showing up like they have the last two games.