77-66 was the final in Ann Arbor, where No. 5 Michigan beat No. 2 UConn in the first top-five women’s matchup at Crisler Center and a result coach Kim Barnes Arico called a statement win.
Te’Yala Delfosse powered Michigan with 22 points and nine rebounds, Olivia Olson added 19, and the Wolverines pulled away by winning the fourth quarter while shooting 50% overall and 3-for-5 from deep.
UConn lost control after national player of the year Sarah Strong picked up a third first-half foul and sat much of the opening half; freshman Jovana Popovic kept the Huskies afloat with 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Perimeter shooting and transition play hurt UConn most: the Huskies went 0-for-7 on 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, shot 26% from deep overall, and struggled to generate the fast-break offense that has long been a strength.
For Michigan, the win validates a junior core that reached last year’s Elite Eight and opens a season in which the Wolverines are chasing the program’s first Final Four.