Second half rally falls short

ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- In the women's basketball team's second trip to a Michigan school this week, this game was entirely different than the one played against Michigan State Thursday night when the Hoosiers (9-6, 2-3 Big Ten) lost 70-44. \nThe team played tougher and with better defense, but didn't pull off the last second shot to tie the game.\nThe final score was in Michigan's favor 71-68.\nThe first half of the game had Indiana in foul trouble already. While the Hoosiers were sent to the line only three times, Michigan (10-5, 1-3) made 15 of their 18 free throw attempts in the first half. Michigan coach Sue Guevara knew that foul trouble was something they could use against IU.\n"We were more aggressive out there and able to make the officials make some calls," Guevara said. "It was really physical down there."\nIU senior forward Lisa Eckart, who scored 11 points in the game, said it was as physical as any other game. \n"It just seems like we're constantly going up against bigger girls inside," Eckart said. "At least I am."\nAfter the halftime score of 38-27 in Michigan's favor, IU still could not dominate over the pressure defense Michigan brought to the floor. Michigan junior center Jennifer Smith said they had been practicing the pressure defense all week.\n"We just stayed confidant the entire game," Smith said. "That was a major factor in our win."\nThe second half of the game sent the Hoosiers to the charity stripe 14 times, and 13 of the shots were good. Meanwhile Michigan was 5-8 the second half at the free throw line.\nWith just eight seconds left in the game, the Hoosiers had come within three points of the Wolverines after being down 16 points toward the beginning of the half. Coach Kathi Bennett called a time out and put together an eight-second play she hoped would tie the game.\n"The timeout before the last one we had almost 42 seconds, and we pressed," Bennett said. "We played tough defense, but it just didn't go our way."\nBennett said the last timeout they talked about setting up a double screen for freshman guard Cyndi Valentin to shot the three. The shot missed and handed Michigan their first Big Ten win of the season.\nGuevara commented on IU's game against her Wolverines.\n"They (IU) do a nice job," Guevara said. "If you talk about Indiana basketball, they are a very hardworking basketball team but were struggling from the floor."\nWhile the trip to Michigan left the Hoosiers 2-3 in conference play, Bennett said she was pleased with how her team came back from a 16-point deficit.\n"I'm very happy with how we fought," Bennett said. "We fought extremely hard"