Michigan ‘built a little bit differently’ in tourney return

U-M WOMEN’S HOOPS

Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico signals against Southern California during the first half of the Big Ten Conference semifinals on March 8. MICHAEL CONROY — AP PHOTO

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By Angelique S. Chengelis

The Detroit News

Before the start of the season, Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico simply hoped to win a game. That wasn’t coach speak or sandbagging. She really wondered if this group had what it takes.

After all, this was a team she had to build around what she called the “Quad Squad” of four returning players. Barnes Arico was stunned after enduring her first experience of the new landscape of college athletics and players leaving the program through the transfer portal. She and her staff added transfers and welcomed five freshmen.

“I remember the beginning of the year, ‘I just hope we win a game, I just hope we win a game,’” Barnes Arico said laughing during a recent conference call with reporters.

The Wolverines (22-10), who rely on several freshmen starters this season, almost upset the defending national champion, South Carolina, in the season opener and went on to make a semifinal appearance in the Big Ten Tournament. They are a No. 6 seed — tied for second-highest seeding in program history — in the Birmingham 3 Regional and will face No. seed 11 Iowa State (23-11) in the first round at 11:30 a.m. Friday in South Bend, Indiana.

Iowa State advanced with a 68-63 victory over Princeton in a First Four game on Wednesday.

Notre Dame (26-5), the No. 3 seed, is the host of first- and second-round games and will face No. 14 Stephen F. Austin (29-5).

This is Michigan’s eighth NCAA Tournament appearance under Barnes Arico, in her 13th season. She has led the program to a dozen 20-win seasons, en route to becoming Michigan’s winningest basketball coach — men or women. This will be the 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and seventh in the last eight seasons since the 2020 tournament was not held. Michigan has an 11-12 overall record in the tournament, including the program’s first trip to the Elite Eight in 2022.

The Wolverines are led by Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year Olivia Olson, who is averaging 16.2 points and 5.4 rebounds, and fellow freshman Syla Swords is averaging 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. Michigan is the only team in the country with a pair of freshmen averaging at least 15 points per game. Senior Jordan Hobbs, an All-Big Ten honorable mention, is averaging 13.4 points and freshman Mila Holloway, who also received honorable-mention honors, is averaging just under double figures, at 9.8 points.

Barnes Arico isn’t a fan of reflecting on a season not yet complete, but she made an exception because this team is unique.

“This one hits a little bit differently because of the landscape of college athletics and the way things have changed in the last couple of seasons. The landscape of the transfer portal and all the things that are going on,” Barnes Arico said. “Coming into this season, who would have known we could get back to the NCAA Tournament? There were so many unknowns. I was just hoping to win a game.”

Her mother told her she hadn’t looked this good in February during an always high-stress college basketball season.

“I was like, ‘OK, Mom, thanks, I guess that’s a compliment,’” Barnes Arico said with a laugh. “I think it speaks to our team this year and just the joy and the enjoyment they bring to playing basketball every day. It’s been fun.”

Barnes Arico admires the poise of her three starting freshmen and their ability to handle high-pressure situations. Having a Big Ten Tournament and that postseason experience on their resume now only helps as they ready for the NCAA first round.

“They’re just built a little bit differently,” she said. “They are freshmen. They are human. They’ve had games that have been tremendous and games that haven’t been as successful, but they’ve always competed, and they’ve always shown a willingness to grow and learn from when they haven’t been as successful. That’s one of their best abilities. This moment, it’s big, but I think it’s something they’re really looking forward to.”

Michigan hasn’t played for nearly two weeks.

“I think it finally gave us an opportunity to work on some things we needed to get better at as a team and also give our kids a chance to get some rest and recovery,” Barnes Arico said. “Toward the end of the season, it’s a grind. We play three games in a row in the Big Ten Tournament, and we go to school at Michigan. It gave our players a chance to catch up on their academics, really lock in on school and to really just recover their bodies. We had some great practices with an emphasis on us, which was nice,” Barnes Aico said. “We really got to work on us getting better.”

During Barnes Arico’s first NCAA Tournament experience in 2006 as head coach at St. John’s, Barnes Arico experienced her first victory. Longtime Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma was also at the site and walked past Barnes Arico, who was celebrating, and whispered to her that it’s easy to win a game, it’s easy to get to the tournament, but the hard part is staying there.

“Here we are 20 years later, and to have that type of consistency year in and year out, I think that’s the ultimate goal for any coach to build a program, to build something that lasts,” she said. “That’s what we try to do at Michigan. With the landscape changing in college athletics, is it possible to do that anymore? I don’t know the answer to that, but we’re sure going to try and maybe we’re gonna be the team that does it differently than everybody else. We’re not giving up hope on that.”