The Wolverines open with back-to-back home contests this weekend.
While many Big Ten programs begin their regular seasons this week, Michigan must wait until Friday evening to officially kick off the 2019-20 campaign. After defeating DII Northwood last Wednesday, 97-46, in an exhibition match, the Wolverines enjoy two home games at the Crisler Center this weekend before participating in the Akron Classic in Akron, Ohio next Friday and Saturday.
The Wolverines — ranked 25th in the AP Preseason Poll — performed well in their preseason matchup against the Timberwolves, an in-state foe missing their top performer in junior Ellie Taylor. Michigan freshman Izabel Varejão impressed with 18 points, accumulating most of her points in the paint through hook shots and accurate passes from her guards. Sophomore Naz Hillmon posted 15 points, though she went just 4-8 from the free throw line — one of the minimal areas for concern from last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year, who shot freebies at just a 63% clip in 2018-19.
The games that count for Michigan start with non-conference battles against the Western Michigan Broncos on Friday and the Bradley Braves on Sunday. Here’s what to expect from each opponent:
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Western Michigan — The Broncos come off a 10-20 season in which they finished fifth in the MAC West with a 4-13 conference record. WMU was led last season by senior guard Deja Wimby, who averaged 14.2 points per game, 4.5 assists per game — ranking fifth in the conference — and qualified for the All-MAC defensive team. With the loss of Wimby to graduation, the Broncos will lean on Breanna Mobley, the senior forward who redshirted all of last season. In 2017-18, Mobley averaged 16.3 points at an efficient 55.6 FG%, along with 8.3 rebounds per game.
Besides the return of the conference standout Mobley, eighth-year head coach Shane Clipfell returns two starters from last season’s team in Leighah-Amori Wool and Kamrin Reed, a duo that combined for over 21 points per game. After losing three starters, however, the Broncos were picked to finish sixth in the MAC West, which would be Clipfell’s worst finish during his tenure in Kalamazoo should the preseason prediction hold true.
Look for Michigan’s Varejão to assert herself in the paint similarly to how she did so against Northwood. The 6’4″ center stands two inches taller than any other Western Michigan player on the roster, so height is undoubtedly an advantage Varejao will look to exploit.
Bradley — The Braves defeated UI-Springfield in exhibition action on Sunday, 74-62. They begin their regular season on Friday evening as well, with a road contest against Oakland. Bradley enjoyed a solid campaign a year ago, finishing 20-10 with a 10-8 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Braves saw their postseason cut short, falling to Illinois State, 61-55, in the first round of the MVC Tournament.
Leading the charge for Bradley this year is sophomore guard Lasha Petree, the 2018-19 MVC Freshman of the Year and Sixth Woman of the Year. Petree was just the second player in program history to win the first-year honor joining Karin Nicholls, who claimed the award during the 1976-77 season. Petree, who ranked tenth in the conference in scoring at 13.2 points per game, scored 23 points in the exhibition win over UIS.
The Braves return two other impact players from last season’s team. Senior Chelsea Brackmann was a first-team All-MVC honoree who averaged a double-double, posting 12.6 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Junior Gabi Haack is another returning first team all-conference winner that tallied 14.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last year.
The two contests will let the Wolverines to get their feet wet against inferior opponents, especially with the added comfort of playing on their home floor. Besides Varejão, the games should allow freshmen Michelle Sidor and Maddie Nolan to get increasingly acclimated with the roster and comfortable with Head Coach Kim Barnes Arico’s system in real-game settings.
Following the back-to-back home matchups and next weekend’s trip to Akron, the Wolverines will face an early test to their legitimacy as a nationally-ranked team when Notre Dame — ranked 16th in the preseason poll after losing five starters this offseason — visits Ann Arbor on November 23.
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