ANN ARBOR, Mich.-- Despite four members of the Wisconsin women's basketball team scoring in double figures, the Badgers fell in a 75-66 contest at No. 21 Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the Crisler Center.

Wisconsin (6-19 overall, 1-11 Big Ten) stayed hot on Michigan's (21-5, 10-2) trail, trailing by less than 10 points until the final three minutes of play. The Wolverines narrowly outshot UW 49.1 to 48.3 percent, while the Badgers out rebounded Michigan 40-26.

The entire first half was a pound-for-pound battle with Michigan holding a slight 35-29 lead at the break.

A layup and jumper from Marsha Howard cut the Michigan lead to two (35-33) to begin the third quarter, but the Wolverines hit several shots to begin to pull away. Facing an 11-point deficit as the frame wound down, Howard and Cayla McMorris each hit shots in the final minute to cut the lead heading into the final quarter. Wisconsin shot 56.3 percent in the third, putting away 19 points in the frame to stay within six of the Wolverines, 54-48.

The battle continued into the final period, but the Badgers responded each time the Wolverines made a shot. Wisconsin pulled within five points, 64-59, with less than five minutes to play, but Michigan eventually went on an 11-7 run to take the matchup, 75-66.

You should note:
-Redshirt senior Avyanna Young led the Badgers with 23 points and 13 rebounds for her second straight double-double. It was her fifth double-double of the season.  Her 23 points are the most for a UW player since Cayla McMorris had 31 points vs. Saint Francis on Nov. 13 and second-highest single-game total this season. Young also set a career best with three steals.
-Junior Cayla McMorris (12), freshman Courtney Fredrickson (11) and sophomore Marsha Howard (10) also scored in double figures. It marked the second-straight game that the Badgers have had five players in double-figure scoring
.-Wisconsin outrebounded the Wolverines 40-26, tying for the fewest rebounds by an opponent this season. UW has outrebounded three of its last four foes.
-Freshman Suzanne Gilreath has scored at least one 3-pointer in 18 straight games, including two against the Wolverines today. 
-Wisconsin tied a season low with three free throws made and had a season low six attempts

They said it
"I'm really proud of our kids. Obviously there are some things that need to clean up and be better at. to put ourselves (in a position) to not be a nine-point loss but to be there right there at the end, trying to steal a road game. A lot of the actions that happened, we helped each other. We got people open, whether it was screening action, whether it was the post making a hard cut, allowing the other post to drive it., and to get up on the glass and in.
  
"We rebounded the ball so well. Our energy and our effort gave us a plus 14 on the glass.

"They got (the lead) out to 11 at the end of the third quarter. We got it right back to six to start the quarter. The problem is at the end of the game against Michigan, a team that shoots free throws really, really well."
- Head coach Jonathan Tsipis

What's next
The Badgers return to the road on Wednesday, traveling to No. 3 Maryland for a 6 p.m. CT tipoff.