Photo Credit: Michigan Athletics

With three freshmen in its starting lineup, Michigan Women’s Basketball (19-9 overall, 10-7 Big Ten) has had its ups and downs this season. But it’s a season of mostly winning and building on the future. After an offseason that saw six players enter the transfer portal, a successful 2024/2025 season seemed unlikely. 

But here we are. Michigan can reach 20 wins this Sunday with a victory at Illinois (21-7, 11-6), and its freshmen are leading the way. 

Olivia Olson is tied for the team lead in scoring, averaging 15.9 points per game (13th Big Ten), 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The 6’1” guard was a McDonald’s All American coming out of high school. She has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season (Dec. 9, Feb. 3). She’s scored in double figures 23 times this season, and set a career high of 30 points on Jan. 29 in a game against Wisconsin. 

Syla Swords is tied with Olson for the team lead in scoring, averaging 15.9 points per game (13th Big Ten), 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. The 6’0” guard was also a McDonald’s All American coming out of high school. Swords played on the Canadian National Team in last year’s Olympics. She’s been named Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season (Nov. 11, Dec. 2), and she scored a career high 30 points against No. 1 UCLA on Jan. 1. 

About the two, Maryland Head Coach Brenda Frese had this to say after Michigan’s Feb. 17 game against the Terps, per The Michigan Daily. 

“They’re talented, they’re confident and they will outwork you an entire game.” 

Point guard Mila Holloway is averaging 10.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Holloway has started at point guard every game this season. She’s set career highs in scoring twice, at 21 points, against Purdue and Central Michigan. She is 5’10” and Head Coach Kim Barnes Arico had this to say of Holloway in a Feb. 2 story in The Michigan Daily: 

“The things that she’s able to do, her ability to score at the rim as a small point guard is incredible. Her ability to find her teammates in traffic, she was super active on the defensive end. We are playing our best when she’s playing her best.” 

The highs this season include wins over No. 20 Michigan State and No. 23 Minnesota, but lows include a 2-7 record versus top 25 opponents. 

This Sunday has a chance to be special. A win against Illinois would earn the Wolverines their 20th victory of the season, no small feat after running the gauntlet that is the Big Ten Conference this season. The B1G has five teams ranked in the top 25 as the regular season winds down and could see more than 10 teams make the NCAA Tournament. 

Winning at Illinois will be a challenge. The Fighting Illini are 14-2 at home this season. They give up only 60.7 points per game, fourth best in the conference. They score 71.3 points per game. 

Michigan scores 78.1 points per game, sixth in the B1G, but they give up 65.1. 

Look for Michigan to be extra motivated coming off a 13-point loss to Iowa at home, 79-66. Iowa is solid this year and should make the NCAA Tournament, but they no longer have Caitlin Clark. Michigan should have won that game. 

Redemption awaits them in Illinois if the Wolverines can seize the opportunity. 

My prediction is a close, defensive struggle that comes down to clock management and free throws at the end. 

Michigan 69

Illinois 65