The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1495881
54 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2023 BY ANTHONY BROOME U -M women's hoops finished the season with a 23-10 record and a loss to LSU in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers defeated the Wolverines 66-42 on March 19 in Baton Rouge, bringing the campaign to a close. LSU star forward Angel Reese domi- nated the day and sunk U-M with 25 points and 14 rebounds in the game. Re- ese's performance reminded Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico of her for- mer star Naz Hillmon, who was missed this season. That said, the U-M coach still feels positive about the future. "Reeses don't come around the block every day," Barnes Arico said after the game. "Neither do Naz Hillmons. She's just a real difference-maker. But I'm excited about the players we have re- turning. "Coming to Michigan is not for ev- eryone. We're super selective. And I just think that the players in our program progress through their time here and improve and buy into that philosophy." It was the last game in a U-M uniform for graduate center Emily Kiser, fifth- year guard Leigha Brown and poten- tially Maddie Nolan. Their teammates left behind know they will be missed. "Their dedication to this program and the way they've shown that as well are super inspiring," sophomore guard Greta Kampschroeder said, via The Michigan Daily. "I don't think people realize the work and the commitment they've put into this team, this program, and that's why they've been able to get this program to where it is." Kiser started all 33 games this year, but was never a shoo-in to return for a fifth season. She said she will never regret returning. Kiser ended the season averaging 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists. "You think about five years at the age of 23, and it's a lot of your life," Kiser said. "I'm super thankful for Coach and the University of Michigan that I've just gotten to live out this dream. The thought that I even doubted coming back for a fifth year is crazy now." Brown played in 30 games with 28 starts, averaging 17.5 points 5.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in her third season in Ann Arbor since transferring from Nebraska. "These are three years that I'll never forget, so far the greatest three years of my life," Brown said. "Whether that's people who have al- ready graduated or people who are still here. Wouldn't trade it for the world. We literally put in blood, sweat and tears together. "Unfortunately, tonight didn't go how we wanted it to. But just reflecting on the past three years and even this season, I wouldn't change a thing." THREE WOLVERINES EARN ALL-BIG TEN HONORS Fifth-year guard Leigha Brown, grad- uate center Emily Kiser and sophomore guard Laila Phelia received Big Ten all- conference honors. Brown and Kiser both earned spots on the first team from the coaches, which was the third time in Michigan history that the program had two players receive that honor. Brown was a consensus first-teamer after being one of two players nation- ally to average at least 18 points, 5 re- bounds and 5 assists per game during the regular season. She was also named to the WBCA All-Region 4 team. The 52 all-region finalists will be trimmed to the final 10-member All-America team. Kiser's All-Big Ten nods from both the coaches (first team) and media (second team) were the first honors of her career. She started all 33 games, led U-M in minutes played (35.0 average) and rebounds per game (7.1), and was third on the team in scoring with an av- erage of 15.9 points per game. Phelia earned second-team all-con- ference honors from both the coaches and media one year after being named to the Big Ten's all-freshman team in 2021-22. Despite missing the last seven regular-season games with a leg injury, Phelia was second on the squad with 16.7 points per game while adding 4.2 rebounds per game. U-M ASSISTANT LEAVES FOR HEAD JOB AT PROVIDENCE After one season at Michigan, Erin Batth is moving on from the program to take the head coaching job at Provi- dence College. Batth, 44, served as an assistant on head coach Kim Barnes Arico's staff this season after four years at North Carolina State. She primar- ily worked with post players while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Batth has 17 years of Division I coach- ing experience, but the head job at Providence will be her first leading a program. It is the second straight season Michigan has lost an assistant to a head coach job after Carrie Moore took the post at Harvard following one season with the program. Providence finished 13-19 last year with a 4-16 record in Big East play. It parted ways with former head coach Jim Crowley on March 7 after seven years. The program last reached the NCAA Tournament in 1992. ❏ ❱ MICHIGAN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL LSU Ends Wolverines' Season In NCAA Tournament Round Of 32 Fifth-year guard Leigha Brown helped lead U-M to a 23-10 record and its fifth con- secutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. She earned consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors after being one of two play- ers nationally to average at least 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game in the regular season. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS