Michigan Women’s Basketball set to host NC State in NCAA second round as Wolfpack point guard Zoe Brooks sits
michigan women’s basketball is back on the floor Sunday, March 22, with a second-round NCAA Tournament game against NC State at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. Tipoff is set for 1 p. m. ET, with the game slated for ABC. The matchup comes after Michigan’s 83-48 opening-round win over Holy Cross, while NC State enters the game with guard Zoe Brooks out with an injury.
Second-round stage set in Ann Arbor
Michigan advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in program history and will do it at home, where the Wolverines have been dominant this season. Michigan is 15-1 at Crisler Center, with the lone home loss coming by three points to No. 2 UCLA on Feb. 8.
The Wolverines’ home profile has been loud and efficient: Michigan is averaging 87. 3 points per game at home on 49. 6 percent shooting, while allowing 58. 6 points per game on 38. 8 percent shooting. Michigan is also forcing 23. 1 turnovers per game at Crisler Center, turning defense into pace and points.
Sunday’s opponent is NC State (21-10), and the teams have met only three times previously. Two of those matchups came during the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The other meeting was in the second round of the 1990 NCAA Tournament, the first time Michigan reached the NCAA Tournament.
michigan women’s basketball rolling after 83-48 opener
The Wolverines arrive with momentum after an 83-48 win over Holy Cross in the NCAA opening round on March 20. The offense was balanced and sharp: five Michigan players scored in double figures, a formula that has been automatic this season. Michigan is 9-0 when at least five players reach the 10-point mark.
Mila Holloway led the way with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, marking her third 20-point game of the season and sixth of her career. Holloway also drilled a career-high five three-pointers in the win.
She had plenty of help. Syla Swords scored 13, Olivia Olson and Brooke Quarles Daniels each added 12, and Te’Yala Delfosse scored 10 off the bench. Michigan’s broader scoring identity remains a defining feature: the Wolverines are the second-highest scoring team in their conference and rank ninth nationally at 83. 6 points per game.
One trend has been especially telling in results: Michigan is 24-0 when scoring at least 80 points, and the Wolverines cleared that mark again against Holy Cross.
Zoe Brooks ruled out, and a familiar connection remains
NC State will play without Zoe Brooks, who is out with an injury for Sunday’s game. Her absence is a key storyline entering the second round, with Michigan’s next NCAA Tournament opponent potentially missing its star point guard.
Even with Brooks sidelined, the game still carries a personal connection on the Michigan side. For the second straight game, Ashley Sofilkanich will see a high school teammate in Brooks; the two played together at St. John Vianney.
The setting should again be a major factor. Michigan welcomed 8, 491 fans for the first round, the second-highest attendance this season and the ninth-best mark in program history, giving the Wolverines an atmosphere that has matched their numbers all season.
What’s next: Sweet 16 bid on the line Sunday
The stakes are clear in Ann Arbor: Michigan is chasing its third Sweet 16 appearance in program history after back-to-back trips in 2021 and 2022. With NC State coming to Crisler Center at 1 p. m. ET, michigan women’s basketball will try to keep its home-court edge intact and push one win closer to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
