Michigan women’s basketball, ranked #6 in the nation, added another confident step in its national rise on Saturday, December 13th, defeating Akron 85-59 behind Syla Swords leading the scoring with 17 points. Even in a game they were favored to win, the Wolverines played with the same composure that has pushed them high into the national rankings and into the spotlight of women’s basketball this year. 

The win on the 13th fits into a much larger story. One built on mindset, chemistry, and a point guard who is raising Michigan’s ceiling.

Mindset, Team Bonding, and Michigan’s National Rise

Michigan’s rise in the rankings hasn’t been powered solely by their play on the court. It has been powered by mindset. Inside the locker room, the Wolverines emphasize we, not me. They work not just for themselves as individuals, but for the betterment of the team.

Head coach Kim Barnes Arico reinforces that daily. Her philosophy is built on consistency, development, and the belief that everyone has something they can continuously improve. 

Challenges don’t discourage this young group. These athletes expect challenges. They embrace the grind of a growth mindset.

Off the court, the Wolverines invest heavily in team bonding. Building relationships creates trust, purpose, and a shared mentality. With this foundation, the team plays connected and confidently, even against the hardest competition.

Their tough out of conference schedule is a deliberate choice. “They came to Michigan for an opportunity to play against the best competition in the country,” Barnes Arico told the Michigan Daily. And they’ve shown that they’re not afraid to meet those moments head on.

The UConn Game: When the Country Took Notice

The national conversation around Michigan shifted in late November during their showdown with the reigning National Champions and No. 1-ranked UConn. Despite trailing nearly 20 points after the first quarter, the Wolverines stormed back, pushing the top-ranked Huskies to the final seconds before falling 72-69. The game peaked at 1.2 million viewers on FOX and introduced the country to the rising stars of women’s basketball.

But the star of the night? Syla Swords.

Her 29 points, including eight three-pointers, were a breakout moment for the sophomore guard and a statement to the basketball world.

“There was never any panic in her voice,” Barnes Arico said in the post-game press conference. “She took over the game…She was leading in every single thing down the stretch.”

That confidence didn’t come from nowhere. It came from experience far bigger than a college regular-season game.

“The best thing they could have done for us was not pressuring us… that really allowed me and my sister to grow our own passion for the game. We all just love the game—we’re not forced to be there.”

Syla Swords

Swords’ Journey 

Syla Swords arrived at Michigan as the highest-ranked recruit in program history with 5-stars to her name and ranking fourth in her class. At just 18, she became the youngest woman ever to play for Team Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing her country and competing on the world stage.

And her choice to play at Michigan wasn’t just about basketball. “Michigan always had faith in me as a player and as a person,” she said on Michigan’s Defend the Block podcast. “They really invested time into getting to know me… I felt like I really established a connection with coach Arico and the rest of the staff.”

Her family shaped her love for the game in the same way. With encouragement, not pressure. “The best thing they could have done for us was not pressuring us… that really allowed me and my sister to grow our own passion for the game,” she said. “We all just love the game—we’re not forced to be there.”

Even before stepping on the court as a Wolverine, Swords felt her class had the potential to make history. “It’s going to be really special to see what we’re able to do if we stick together and stay true to what Michigan basketball is,” she said.

Looking Ahead

Today’s win over Akron won’t define Michigan’s season. But it reinforces what their rise is built on: shared mindset, real chemistry, a demanding schedule, and a point guard who has already proven herself on the world stage. 

Their climb is intentional, just beginning, and not temporary. Michigan isn’t just rising. They are becoming who they believed they could be all along.