Hobbs scores 28 as No. 6 Michigan escapes No. 11 Iowa State 80-74

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This article was published 21/03/2025 (231 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jordan Hobbs scored 28 points to help No. 6 Michigan hold off 11th-seeded Iowa State 80-74 on Friday to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 

The Wolverines (23-10) will play on Sunday in South Bend, Ind., against the winner of the Notre Dame-Stephen F. Austin game for a shot at the Sweet 16.

“I thought that was an unbelievable game,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said of the see-saw battle. “Just back and forth, back and forth. Had to match up with one of the best post players in the country (Iowa State’s Audi Crooks), being undersized. I thought both Greta (Kampschroeder) and Jordan (Hobbs) did a phenomenal job.”

Olivia Olson scored 16 points. The Wolverines’ freshman hit only one of her first nine shots, but connected on 4-of-6 shots down the stretch. 

Greta Kampschroeder scored 13 points and Mila Holloway contributed 12 to the Michigan victory.

Audi Crooks scored 28 points for Iowa State (23-12) and Arianna Jackson added 12.

Michigan fought back from a nine-point deficit with 3:50 left in the third quarter. The Wolverines were 14-of-45 shooting at one point (31 percent), but heated up to connect on 12-of-16 shots for a 75-69 lead with 3:35 left in the game.

“We were taking quick, not great shots that we could have gotten at any point during the shot clock,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “We just needed to settle.”

Iowa State hit Michigan with a 16-3 run in the second quarter and surged to a 37-32 halftime lead. The Cyclones outscored Michigan 24-13 in the second quarter to erase a six-point Wolverines’ lead after the first quarter.

The Cyclones shook off 4-of-12 shooting woes in the first quarter to hit 10-of-15 in the second quarter.

Crooks scored eight points in the fourth quarter, but Michigan prevented her from dominating in the final minutes.

“Obviously we’re not going to outmuscle her,” Kampschroeder said. “She’s a very strong player. And she’s skilled as well. But we had to be a little bit more strategic, trying to make her work a little bit, kind of throw some different things at her every time, kind of move around her, essentially to make the passers also a little bit uncertain where they’re going to get her the ball.”

Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said that Michigan’s fast-paced attack and a 12-5 advantage in free-throw points was critical.

“They’re very skilled. Interchangeable parts,” Fennelly said. “Obviously it put us in — puts our defense at stress because there’s not a match-up for Audi that she normally would guard. We had a really hard time guarding them. And they had a really hard time guarding us. And that’s why the game was so close.”

Fighting back

Kampschroeder said that the Wolverines weren’t fazed by the 10-point deficit they faced in the third quarter.

“I think we’ve played some tough teams this year,” Kampschroeder said. “The Big Ten is an awesome conference to be in to kind of set you up for this. We had to play tough teams in the season. We had to take some losses in order to get better, especially being such a young team. We played some close ones where we had to fight to the very end. 

Fun matchup

Crooks enjoyed the close, competitive battle that her Cyclones had with Michigan.

“It was a lot of fun,” Crooks said. “I enjoyed myself, despite the results. But you put it simply — it’s a game of runs. Sometimes it ends in your favor, sometimes it doesn’t. They (Michigan) were a fun, competitive team, but we threw our punches as well. It just came down to the wire, really.”

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