The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan women’s basketball team will travel to New Jersey to challenge No. 5-ranked Vanderbilt in the Coretta Scott King Classic on January 19, 2024. The matchup will take place at the Prudential Center at 14:30 and will be broadcast live on Fox.
Michigan enters the game with a record of 15-2, matching the best start in the program’s history through 17 games. This achievement ties with the 2021-22 season, where the team ultimately reached a 20-2 record and advanced to the Elite Eight. The Wolverines will face a formidable opponent in Vanderbilt, who boasts an undefeated record of 18-0 and has a historical edge in their series, leading 3-1. Michigan’s last victory over Vanderbilt occurred during the 2008-09 season.
High-Powered Offenses on Display
Both teams feature potent scoring offenses, with Michigan averaging 88.6 points per game, ranking fifth nationally, while Vanderbilt is close behind at ninth with 86.9 points per game. This game marks Michigan’s second encounter with a top-five opponent this season, following a close contest against No. 1 UConn, which they narrowly lost 72-69 at the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase on November 19.
Michigan’s head coach, Kim Barnes Arico, recently achieved the milestone of 299 career wins with the Wolverines after a decisive 85-69 victory over No. 25 Illinois on January 15. One more win will make her the first coach in Michigan basketball history—men’s or women’s—to reach the 300-win mark in Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines are set to play two consecutive games in New Jersey, with a matchup against Rutgers scheduled for January 22. Notably, this will be a homecoming for players Te’Yala Delfosse and Ashley Sofilkanich, who will don the Michigan jersey in their home state for the first time.
Key Players Making an Impact
A standout performer for Michigan is Olivia Olson, who has maintained a remarkable scoring streak, averaging 18.1 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field. She has scored in double figures in all 17 games this season, including seven with 20 or more points. Olson’s consistent performance has earned her a spot on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List.
Syla Swords has also made her mark, hitting three three-pointers in the recent game against Illinois. She is among an elite group of 20 players in Michigan history to surpass 100 career three-pointers, ranking 17th with 108. Meanwhile, Delfosse has stepped up significantly in her second season, averaging 11.5 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game.
As Michigan prepares for this high-stakes contest, the matchup against Vanderbilt promises to be a thrilling display of talent and skill, with both teams vying for supremacy in the national rankings.
