EMILY KISER

Even as Emily Kiser wiped away tears and tried to compose herself after a 24-point loss that ended Michigan’s season and her college career, she had no regrets about returning for a fifth year. And that’s a good thing, because Michigan lost to LSU 66-42 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was Michigan’s most lopsided defeat since last season’s 104-80 loss to Iowa. She will lose Brown (the top scorer and distributor this season) and Kiser, who blossomed in her fifth season. Barnes Arico couldn’t say whether there’s enough athleticism in the pipeline to match what LSU put on the floor on Sunday, but maybe that’s not the point.

The University of Michigan women’s basketball team has advanced to the round of 32 after a 71-59 win over the UNLV Running Rebels in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

It was an offensive foul call after Michigan senior Maddie Nolan drew a charge late in the third quarter. It’s exactly what head coach Kim Barnes Arico wanted to see. Her teammates lagged way behind, but Saturday offered a chance to play catch up, and Barnes Arico let them know that. Michigan outscored Michigan State by eight points in the nine minutes Elise Stuck was on the Crisler court. Barnes Arico has challenged the rest of the Wolverines, calling them the “All-Soft Team” and pointing out their lack of stickers.

Taylor Mikesell scored 16, and Rikki Harris had 14 as No. 3 Ohio State won its 15th straight without a loss, coming from behind to beat turnover-prone No. 14 Michigan 66-57.

The Wolverines beat sixth-ranked North Carolina on Tuesday night, 76-68, in the opening game of the inaugural Jumpman Invitational. North Carolina got within six late in the fourth, but Michigan did enough to close it out. The Michigan men will play North Carolina on Wednesday night (7 p.m., ESPN), with Florida and Oklahoma matching up in the other two games. On one North Carolina possession, Deja Kelly drew a foul, Brown was hit with a technical, and Carolina made a 3. North Carolina went five minutes without a point before an 8-0 run.

Both of Michigan’s basketball teams are in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Jumpman Invitational, with the women tipping off the event on Tuesday night against North Carolina. Watch Michigan basketball on FuboTV (7-day free trial)The Michigan men will take the court on Wednesday, also against the Tar Heels. Emily Kiser, who returned for a fifth season, leads Michigan with 19.3 points and seven rebounds per game. North Carolina (9-1) is ranked sixth, with its only loss coming at Indiana, by 24 points, to start the month. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels (9-1)Where: Spectrum Center (Charlotte, North Carolina); capacity: 19,077When: Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m.

The Michigan women’s basketball team ended Sunday night’s game with a 20-5 run to beat Baylor 84-75, win the Gulf Coast Showcase, and stay undefeated. Fifth-year senior Emily Kiser scored a career-high 26 points -- 20 of which came in the first half -- and grabbed 13 rebounds in the victory. The Wolverines beat Air Force on Friday, South Florida on Saturday, and No. Michigan beat Baylor last season in overtime, a December matchup in Connecticut. Kiser scored 20 points and Michigan held Air Force to just 28 percent shooting.

The Michigan women’s basketball team made a splash over the holiday weekend. A pool party at head coach Kim Barnes Arico’s home was the scene for an incredible trick shot. Emily Kiser, who will be a fifth-year senior next season, started with a basketball on a balcony overlooking the pool. She threw a long-distance pass that sophomore Laila Phelia caught as she jumped from the deck into the water. Before going under, Phelia shoveled the ball to junior Cameron Williams, who floated on an inner tube.

The Michigan baseball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament thanks to a Big Ten Tournament title. On the latest episode of the Wolverine Confidential podcast, we discuss how the fifth-seeded Wolverines navigated a tournament that included some absurdly late start times and saw one of their pitchers ejected for using a banned substance on his glove. We also preview their NCAA Tournament draw: Michigan will head to Louisville and open against Oregon in a four-team, double-elimination pod that also includes Southeast Missouri State. The NBA draft deadline is June 1, and Moussa Diabaté and Caleb Houstan have not yet announced a final decision. We wrap the episode with the latest on the Mel Pearson saga.

After a breakout senior season with the Michigan women’s basketball team, Emily Kiser will stick around another year. !”Kiser is allowed a fifth season because, per the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver, the 2020-21 season did not count against a player’s eligibility. Kiser, after limited playing time her first three years, started all 32 games last season, averaging 9.3 points and 8.1 rebounds over 31.2 minutes. Her choice is a big boost for a Michigan team that loses Naz Hillmon, Danielle Rauch, and Amy Dilk. In addition to Kiser, the Wolverines bring back fifth-year senior wing Leigha Brown (who’d announced during the season she’d take advantage of the extra season), senior guard Maddie Nolan, and sophomore guard Laila Phelia.

The magical run from the University of Michigan women’s basketball team has come to an end as the women in maize fall to No. 1 seed Louisville 62-50 in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite 8.

Naz Hillmon had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Laila Phelia scored the go-ahead layup in the final minute and No. 3 Michigan beat No. 10 seed South Dakota 52-49.

Before Kim Barnes Arico took over as Michigan’s head women’s basketball coach in 2012, the program had five career NCAA Tournament appearances. The Wolverines have earned five more tournament bids under Barnes Arico, including four straight, and are looking to make more history this season. “I have been coaching a long time, and I know a lot of great coaches that have never been to the Sweet 16 ever,” Barnes Arico said following her team’s win over No. “It was just a special weekend for our senior class, which has left such a legacy on our program,” Barnes Arico said. “Being there before certainly helps,” Barnes Arico said.

Naz Hillmon had 24 points and 11 rebounds to help third-seeded Michigan beat No. 14 seed American 74-39 in the first round of the Wichita Regional.

Naz Hillmon scored 32 points and had 12 rebounds, and No. 7 Michigan dominated the paint in a 79-66 win over Purdue on Monday night.

ANN ARBOR -- In one way, Emily Kiser’s college arc is typical. She hardly played as a freshman, saw limited action as a sophomore, was a rotation player as a junior, and is now starting as a senior. That is a normal progression, or at least it used to be. The transfer portal has changed things.

The Michigan women’s basketball team closed 2021 with a blowout win of a (ranked) rival at home and started 2022 with a lopsided loss on the road. The latter came with a silver lining: Senior point guard Amy Dilk returned after missing all but the first minute of the season with a leg injury. Dilk played 15 minutes in Michigan’s 79-58 loss at Nebraska on Tuesday, her first action since going down with a knee injury 42 seconds into the season opener. The important thing is that she was back on the court, and felt fine during and after the game. Naz Hillmon tallied 29 points and 15 rebounds, Emily Kiser had 18 and 15, and Leigha Brown notched 24 points and seven assists.

Leigha Brown scored 25 points to lead No. 13 Michigan to a 74-68 win over fifth-ranked Baylor in the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.

ANN ARBOR -- Kim Barnes Arico isn’t superstitious, but she made a minor exception on Thursday. The Michigan women’s basketball head coach wore the same pants she sported the last time Michigan played a game. See also: Michigan basketball to host fan event with dunk contest, musical performanceTo have a great team, Barnes Arico said, “Obviously you need great players like Naz and Leigha, but you need great pieces. Barnes Arico views her three sophomores as, in some ways, freshmen given last year’s unusual college experience. On Thursday, Barnes Arico spoke about how last year’s team was a selfless group that handled the adversity brought about by COVID.