Another animal has become an endangered species. But Women's Basketball Coach Rene Portland hopes to take the remaining population of the female wolverine out this weekend.

When the No. 3 Lady Lions (12-0, 4-0 in the Big Ten) meet unranked Michigan (3-10, 0-4) at 1 p.m. Sunday in Ann Arbor, they will easily outnumber a small Wolverine team.

"In Michigan's case, there's just not enough horses in the stable," Portland said. "They're good for like 10 minutes, and then they just don't have anybody to go to."

Michigan's roster is down to just seven players, five of them freshmen. Michigan Coach Trish Roberts said some expected freshmen never showed, while other players left due to injury or to focus on academics.

"(The freshmen have) been thrown in the fire right away," she said. "We're probably the youngest Division I team in the country."

And Portland plans to take advantage of the Wolverine's shortage.

"We're gonna press 'em -- we're going to go after it quick," she said. "They literally run out of gas going down the stretch because they only have seven kids."

Freshman forward Silver Shellman leads Michigan with 15.5 points a game.

Roberts said the biggest problem with her team's size is going five-on-five during practices.

"A lot of teams think that if they wear us down the last few minutes of the game, that's where it's going to show," she said. "Our kids are pretty conditioned . . . they haven't been outrun in any of the games."

Michigan has to face No. 18 Ohio State (9-4, 2-1) today before the Lady Lions come to town.

"It's probably the toughest weekend that we'll face this year," Roberts said. "I think a lot of people look at the seven (players) and think, 'Oh wow, she's having a hard time.' But this year, practices have been so much fun."

Portland spent this week working on her man-to-man offense, trying to get more motion from her team.

In the last three days, junior guard Katina Mack and senior forward Helen Holloway haven't even stepped on the floor -- Mack's feet and Holloway's knees need rest. Both will miss this weekend.

That paves the way for forwards Shelby Thayer and Toya Crumpton, who will see quality time in the four-spot, with guard Carla Coleman stepping up in the two.

"I'm ready to get out of Rec Hall," Portland said. "It's freezing."

-- Note:

Guard Tiffany Longworth is also questionable for Sunday. The freshman broke the tip of her middle finger -- not the joint -- on her shooting hand after the shooting machine she was practicing with fell on her finger yesterday.

"Possibly she could play Tuesday with a lot of padding," Portland said. "A mechanic she is not."