Despite Jordan Morgan's foul trouble, Michigan pulled out the overtime victory (photo by Paul Beaty, AP)

Michigan survived a classic trap game tonight at Northwestern, needing overtime to beat the Wildcats for the second time this season. Following an emotional win over Ohio State on Saturday, a trip to Evanston to face a Northwestern team giddy about the possibility of a first ever trip to the Big Dance was a recipe for disaster, especially for a team that was just 3-6 on the road this season. But Michigan overcame a seven point halftime deficit and early foul trouble to pull out a 67-55 overtime victory.

It was apparent from the beginning that Michigan was in for a tough one when Jordan Morgan and Evan Smotrycz each picked up two fouls early. John Beilein was forced to use Blake McLimans for the majority of the first half, giving the Wolverines no inside presence. Northwestern countered with a 1-3-1 that forced Michigan to chuck up a season high 38 three-pointers.

Michigan held Northwestern without a point for the first 4:23 but could only build up a 6-0 lead. The Wolverines then built a 11-3 lead on a Jordan Morgan layup and Stu Douglass three. The teams went back and forth until Matt Vogrich hit back-to-back threes to give Michigan a 20-13 lead with 9:25 remaining in the half. However, Northwestern closed the half on a 18-4 run as Michigan went just 2-of-10 in the final nine minutes.

Tim Hardaway Jr started the second half off with a layup and Burke hit a three to pull Michigan within two. Northwestern finally got on the board nearly five minutes into the half, and for the next five minutes, points were hard to come by. With 9:51 remaining, Douglass hit a three to cut the lead to one and after a NW free throw, Vogrich nailed a three to give Michigan its first lead of the second half.

Burke followed up with a layup, but five straight Northwestern points put the Wildcats back on top. John Shurna finally got into the second half action to give NW a four-point lead with 2:44 to play, but Burke answered with a three. After another Shurna basket, Hardaway hit a three to tie the game at 49 with 1:46 remaining.

Northwestern had a chance to take the lead in the final minute, but missed a pair of shots, giving Michigan the last possession, but a Burke three at the buzzer fell short, sending the game into overtime just like the previous meeting.

In the overtime stanza, it was all Michigan. Burke, Novak, and Douglass hit back-to-back-to-back threes to blow the game open before Northwestern could get on the board. From there, it became a free throw contest and Michigan hit enough of them to seal the win.

Burke led all scorers with 19 points to go along with five assists and just one turnover while playing all 45 minutes. Hardaway added 14 points despite hitting just 4-of-10 from the free throw line and Douglass scored 12, all on threes (4-of-7). Vogrich hit 3-of-6 from three-point range to score nine points.

The Michigan defense held Shurna to 14 points, six below his season average, and his third lowest total of the season. The Wolverines also held Drew Crawford to just six points, 10 below his season average, and his second lowest total of the season.

Michigan returns home for its final game in the friendly confines of the Crisler Center on Saturday at 6pm against Purdue (17-10, 7-7). Seniors Zack Novak, Stu Douglass, and Corey Person will be honored.

Novak and the Wolverines took five charges to stymie Sullinger and the Buckeyes (photo by Tony Ding, AP)

Michigan capped off an incredible day with a prime-time, nationally televised win over 6th-ranked Ohio State. The day began with ESPN College Game Day broadcasting live from the Crisler Center, continued with six football commitments for the 2013 class (more on that to follow), and culminated with a 56-51 win over the Buckeyes.

Michigan scored the first six and never looked back, holding the lead for the rest of the game. The lead grew to as much as 10 in the second half and the closest Ohio State ever got was one at 17-16 with five minutes left in the first half.

It was clear from the onset that John Beilein’s game plan was to control the tempo offensively and jump the high screens and double-team Jared Sullinger in the post, forcing the Buckeyes to settle for shots from the outside. And it worked to perfection.

Michigan held OSU to just 10-of-26 shooting (0-for-9 from three) in the first half, but the Wolverines shot just 37.5 percent themselves from the field, allowing the Buckeyes to stay within striking distance. In the second, Michigan hit 13-of-23 and held the Buckeyes to just nine field goals.

The Buckeyes turned to Sullinger in the second half, and he finished the game with 14 points, but the Michigan defense harassed him all game, drawing a pair of charges and keeping him out of rhythm. It was Deshaun Thomas who almost singlehandedly kept the Buckeyes in the game, scorign 25 points and grabbing 13 rebounds while Sullinger struggled and William Buford was held to just six points on 3-of-12 shooting.

For Michigan, it was the Trey Burke show as the freshman dominated Ohio sophomore point guard Aaron Craft, scoring 17 points and five assists while holding Craft to just four points, three turnovers, and two assists. With Ohio State trying to claw back in the final minutes, Burke hit a layup with 1:20 remaining and a jumper with 14 seconds remaining, both to put the Wolverines back up by two possessions.

On the former, Burke pulled Craft out near midcourt and beat him off the dribble to the left, drove the lane and converted a layup. On the latter, he drove through traffic to the right and lofted up a floater that kissed off the glass to seal the win.

Tim Hardaway Jr added 13 and hit both threes he attempted, while Jordan Morgan played perhaps his best game of the season, scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 boards.

The win was Michigan’s first over Ohio State since a 73-64 victory on Jan. 3, 2010 and keeps Michigan in contention for its first Big Ten title since 1986. The Wolverines stand a game behind Michigan State in the loss column with four games to play. The Spartans remaining schedule includes road games at Purdue, Minnesota, and #20 Indiana, and home tilts with Nebraska and current-#6 Ohio State. Michigan returns to action on Tuesday at Northwestern and will look to close out the home portion of its schedule undefeated next Saturday against Purdue.

Hardaway led the way for Michigan with 19 points (photo by Michael Conroy, AP)

Michigan visited West Lafayette on Tuesday night looking for its first true road win of the season and first win in Mackey Arena since 2003. And win it did, reversing the score from Saturday’s loss to Arkansas, and beating the Boilermakers 66-64.

Michigan broke out to a 14-7 lead thanks to seven points from Stu Douglass. The lead then widened to 20-12 with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Purdue fought back, scoring the next seven points to pull within one, but Michigan answered with jumpers from Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway and a pair of free throws by Jordan Morgan. Purdue closed out the half on a 7-2 run to pull within two at 30-28.

The second half began much the same way as the first went: Michigan scoring a few baskets to pull ahead, but never enough to pull away. Each time it looked as if Michigan were poised to put the game away, Purdue would go on a run to get right back in the game.

In the first five minutes of the second half, Michigan built a 10-point lead at 41-31. However, Purdue went on a 20-6 run to grab its first lead since the beginning of the game. A Morgan layup and a Douglass three put Michigan back on top 52-51 with just under seven minutes to play. From there on, the teams battled neck-and-neck, neither leading by more than four points, and trading leads six times.

Trailing by one with a minute and a half left, Zack Novak found Morgan open under the basket and Morgan slammed it home to put Michigan ahead 65-64. Purdue was unable to score and Evan Smotrycz hit the front end of two free throws to give Michigan a two-point lead. A last-gasp attempt by Purdue’s Lewis Jackson missed and Michigan earned its first win at Purdue in its last seven trips. The defense held the Boilers without a field goal for the final 3:54.

Michigan was led by Hardaway’s 19-point effort on 8-of-15 shooting. Morgan and Douglass each added 12, while Smotrycz scored 10. Burke was held to six points, his third lowest output of the season, and lowest in Big Ten play. He shot just 3-of-10 from the field, but dished out six assists.

The Wolverines shot 54 percent from the field and hit 6-of-14 three-pointers while holding Purdue to 44.2 percent overall and 9-of-26 from downtown. Purdue’s stars, Robbie Hummel and Jackson got their points, 16 and 17 respectively, but no one else stepped up for the Boilers.

The win keeps Michigan atop the Big Ten standings and sets up an important road game at Ohio State on Sunday.

Zack Novak hit 5-of-7 three-point attempts and led Michigan with 17 points (photo by MGoBlue.com)

Michigan traveled to Fayetteville for a unique midseason out of conference matchup with Southeastern Conference opponent Arkansas. While it meant nothing for the Big Ten race, a win would have allowed Michigan to maintain its momentum from its third straight win over rival Michigan State. But it wasn’t meant to be as Michigan fell 66-64 in front of a packed Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas jumped out to an early 11-2 lead as Michigan missed four of its first five shots. Zack Novak hit the first of his five three-pointers but through the first 10 minutes of the game, Michigan had fallen behind 29-10. The Michigan offense finally came alive, outplaying the Razorbacks for the final 10 minutes of the first half and went into the locker room down 46-33.

Arkansas opened the second half with a three, but eight straight points by Jordan Morgan and a layup by Novak got Michigan right back in the game, trailing by just six. Michigan then went ice cold, failing to score a point for nearly six minutes, and Arkansas widened its lead  back to 13. But Michigan wasn’t done yet. Morgan ignited a 12-1 Michigan run. Another Novak three pulled Michigan to within two with 3:48 to play.

Over the final three minutes, the teams traded a pair of baskets and Michigan was forced to foul, trailing by two with 21 seconds remaining. Arkansas freshman guard B.J. Young missed a free throw, but the Razorbacks grabbed the offensive board and Michigan had to f0ul again. Once again it was missed and this time Michigan grabbed the board. In the final seconds, Trey Burke got off a three but it rattled in and out at the buzzer and Arkansas pulled off the upset.

Novak led the way for the Wolverines, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds. His 5-of-7 shooting from three-point range was the lone bright spot for the team as Michigan went 8-for-28 from downtown. Morgan contributed 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Burke was the only other Wolverine in double figures with 13. He also added seven rebounds and six assists for a well-rounded day. Tim Hardaway Jr continued his recent struggles, scoring just nine points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Michigan outrebounded the Razorbacks 35-29 and pulled down 13 offensive boards, but Arkansas attempted 21 free throws to Michigan’s seven and made seven more than Michigan did.

Michigan returns to Big Ten play on Tuesday night with a road trip to West Lafayette, Ind. to battle the Purdue Boilermakers (14-6, 4-3) who just got drubbed by Michigan State 83-58.

Head Coach John Beilein had plenty of reason to celebrate Michigan's third straight victory over Michigan State, becoming the first Michigan coach to do so since Steve Fisher (photo by MGoBlue.com)

It had been 16 years since Michigan last beat rival Michigan State three straight times, but with Denard Robinson and Roy Roundtree jumping around among the Maize Rage and a host of Michigan NFLers in the stands, the Wolverines did just that on Tuesday night. Michigan squandered an 11 point second half lead but held the Spartans without a field goal for the final 4:23 to win 60-59.

Zack Novak got the scoring started with a three on Michigan’s first trip down the court and the Wolverines jumped out to a 10-2 lead. Another Novak three put Michigan ahead 13-4 before State got its offense going. Michigan maintained a five-to-seven point lead throughout the first half, taking a 36-29 lead into the locker room.

The second half began much the same with Tim Hardaway Jr getting his first bucket of the game on a dunk and Michigan opening up an 11-point lead. But with 12 minutes remaining, Michigan State’s offense got going and its defense clamped down.

A basket by Keith Appling sandwiched between threes by Austin Thornton and Brandon Wood brought MSU within three. Novak answered with a jumper of his own, but State reeled off six more to grab its first lead of the game at 50-49 with just under seven minutes to play.

An Appling jumper widened State’s lead to three before Trey Burke and Thornton traded threes. With just over four minutes left, center Derrick Nix gave the Spartans their biggest lead of the game at 57-53, but it was the last basket the Michigan defense would allow. Burke hit one of two free throws and Hardaway followed with a jumper to pull Michigan within one. A pair of free throws by Thornton took it back to a three point game but Hardaway answered again, this time with a layup.

With under a minute remaining, Burke grabbed a defensive rebound, pushed it up the court, and found Stu Douglass wide open under the basket for a transition layup to put Michigan on top by one. State ran the clock down to 11 seconds before attempting a shot, which Jordan Morgan blocked. However, it went right back into Spartan hands and Draymond Green got of a good but unbalanced look from the free throw line. It clanked off the left iron and a follow-up tip came up short as time expired.

Burke led the way with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from downtown. Hardaway and Novak each added 10. Michigan held Green to just seven points, nine below his season average, and Appling to 10, three below his average. Michigan was outrebounded 31-18, but committed just eight turnover to State’s 14 and shot 51.1 percent form the field, 13 percent higher than MSU’s defense typically allows.

The win keeps Michigan near the top of the Big Ten standings and preserves the Wolverines’ unbeaten home record this season. Michigan now trails Illinois by one game with a lot of basketball left to play. The Wolverines return to action on Saturday with an out-of-conference game at Arkansas (13-5) before visiting Purdue (14-5) next Tuesday.

Trey Burke hit clutch free throws down the stretch to carry Michigan over Northwestern (photo by MGoBlue.com)

Michigan took to the court in the Crisler Center on a Wednesday night in which the Sugar Bowl winning football team was honored and held off a pesky Northwestern squad that it has had trouble with the last few years. The Wildcats led most of the game, but Michigan fought back with the resolve of Team 132 and picked up its 14th win of the season.

Northwestern started the game with an 8-0 lead before Michigan finally got on the board four minutes into the game. Michigan battled back to a 15-15 tie before Northwestern pulled away again and the Wolverines trailed 34-27 at the half.

In the second half, trailing 44-36, Michigan went on a 10-0 run to grab its first lead of the game. For the final 10 minutes, the two teams went back and forth, neither team leading by more than four.

With 2:44 remaining, Tim Hardaway Jr hit a three to tie the game at 54 and neither team would score again in regulation.

In overtime, Northwestern star John Shurna got scoring started with his first basket since the 9:15 mark of the second half, but Stu Douglass answered with a layup of his own. A pair of Evan Smotrycz free throws put Michigan ahead by two, but NW center Luka Mirkovic tied it up. On Michigan’s next possession, Trey Burke grabbed a pair of offensive boards and finally finished a short jumper to put Michigan back ahead.

Following Burke’s jumper, Jordan Morgan was called for a technical foul, giving Northwestern guard Drew Crawford two free throws. He made one and the Wildcats were unable to take advantage of the extra possession. Burke went to the line and hit a par of free throws to put Michigan ahead by three. Two free throws by each team later, Crawford dunked it to pull NW within one. Burke went back to the line and made both, giving Michigan a three point lead with six seconds remaining.

Northwestern guard Alex Marcotullio put up a desperation three with one second left and Hardaway inexplicably fouled him, sending him to the line for three shots. However, he missed the first, NW was unable to tip in a buzzer-beater, and Michigan escaped.

Hardaway and Burke led the way with 19 for Michigan and Douglass added 10. Hardaway finally broke out of his three-point shooting slump, hitting 5-of-9 attempts, while Burke hit all eight attempted free throws.

As a team, Michigan took 18 more shots than Northwestern and fired up 30 threes to NW’s 13. The biggest key to Michigan’s success was its second chances, aided by 17 offensive rebounds. Northwestern also turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 16 times.

For Northwestern, Shurna got his 21 points, but most importantly, he disappeared for the final nine minutes of the game and overtime. Michigan’s defense did a good job of forcing tough shots and limiting the Wildcats to one shot possessions down the stretch.

Next, Michigan visits Iowa (10-8, 2-3) on Saturday at 1pm Eastern time before the first of two meetings with rival Michigan State on Tuesday.

Michigan had trouble stopping Cody Zeller, who scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting (photo by Andy Lyons, Getty Images)

Michigan took to the road Thursday night to face an Indiana team that had already upset first-ranked Kentucky and second-ranked Ohio State. It was Michigan’s second true road game of the year, but it wasn’t meant to be as the Wolverines put up a valiant effort, but fell 73-71.

Michigan had to battle back time and time again, but every time the Wolverines looked poised to take the lead, Indiana would do what it has done all season: hit a timely three. The Hoosiers, who came in second in the nation in three-point percentage, connected on 7-of-11 from downtown in this one.

Michigan also had no answer for Indiana’s big men as Christian Watford led the way with 25 points and Cody Zeller added 18. The pair combined to go 16-for-21 from the field and 8-for-10 from the free throw line.

For Michigan, Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way with 19 points, but struggled from long range, missing all seven attempts, including a couple in the last couple of minutes that would have given Michigan the lead.

Indiana jumped out to a 17-6 lead in the first nine minutes of the game and widened the lead to 33-18 with five minutes left in the first half. Michigan ended the half with a 14-6 run to go into the locker room down seven.

In the second, Indiana kept the lead around five throughout as Michigan kept battling back. Michigan pulled within two a number of times before IU took a 65-55 lead with seven minutes remaining. But Michigan wasn’t done yet. With three minutes left, a Hardaway dunk tied the game at 68, but the Hoosiers answered with a pair of free throws. After two missed threes by Hardaway and a missed jumper by Burke, IU went ahead by four with just 14 seconds remaining. Stu Douglass hit a three to pull within one with just three seconds left and IU hit the front end of two free throws. Zack Novak’s half-courter at the buzzer missed and Michigan dropped its third game of the year.

Michigan returns home to face 19th-ranked Wisconsin on Sunday at 1:30pm in the Crisler Center.

It wasn’t exactly how Brady Hoke planned it, but Michigan’s 23-20 Sugar Bowl win over Virginia Tech was a fitting end to Team 132′s season. The squad that endured three of the worst years in Michigan history fought to the end on Tuesday night and came away with an ugly victory, fulfilling Bo Schembechler’s legendary statement that “those who stay will be champions.”

#13 Michigan 23 – #11 Virginia Tech 20
	Final Stats
23	Final Score	20
11-2 (6-2)	Record	11-3 (7-1)
184	Total Yards	377
56	Net Rushing Yards	163
128	Net Passing Yards	214
12	First Downs	22
1	Turnovers	2
4-26	Penalties – Yards	7-68
5-181	Punts – Yards	1-36
23:10	Time of Possession	36:50
4-for-13	Third Down Conversions	6-for-15
1-for-1	Fourth Down Conversions	1-for-3
2-4	Sacks By – Yards	3-25
3-for-3	Field Goals	4-for-5
2-for-2	PATs	0-for-0
3-for-3	Red Zone Scores – Chances	4-for-6

The seniors who endured more than perhaps any other senior class in the 132-year history of Michigan football came up big in New Orleans. Rimington Award winning center David Molk injured his foot in pregame warmups and missed the first series, but fought through the pain the rest of the game. Junior Hemingway came up with two outstanding touchdown catches to bail out quarterback Denard Robinson. Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen held their own in the middle of the defense, tightening up when needed.

On a day when Robinson and Michigan’s electric offense was never able to get going, everything that has been Michigan’s downfall the past few seasons won the game. The defense that couldn’t stop anybody the last three years held Virginia Tech to its fifth-lowest total yardage of the season. It was truly a bend but don’t break defense that never did break, allowing Tech to convert third-and-longs with ease, but clamping down when it truly mattered. Kicker Brendan Gibbons, who lost the kicking duties last season after starting 1-for-5, continued the clutch kicking he has displayed all season by booting three field goals including a 39-yarder to put Michigan ahead with four minutes remaining and the 37-yard game-winner in overtime.

Michigan certainly got its share of breaks when the Hokies were penalized for roughing the punter late in the second quarter, an interception was overturned, Frank Beamer inexplicably called a fake punt from midfield late in the game, a touchdown in overtime was overturned, and Tech kicker Justin Myer missed a 37-yard field goal in overtime. Both calls could have gone either way, but seemed to be correct overturns. Regardless, it’s uncommon to see two close calls overturned in a game and even more uncommon for Michigan to get all the breaks.

It didn’t look promising for Michigan from the start when two poor snaps forced the offense out of rhythm and Michigan went three-and-out. Virginia Tech put together a solid drive, but Michigan forced a 37-yard field goal. On the next drive, Robinson was picked off by Kyle Fuller, giving VT a chance to widen its lead. But Michigan forced another field goal, this time from 43 yards out.

Junior Hemingway caught both of Michigan's touchdowns (photo by Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)

After a Michigan punt, Virginia Tech put together another promising drive, but Michigan’s defense stuffed quarterback Logan Thomas on 4th-and-1 from the Michigan 4-yard line.

Michigan was forced to punt once again, but punter Matt Wile drew a roughing the kicker penalty, keeping the drive alive. On 3rd-and-17 from the VT 45-yard line, Robinson fired a back footer towards a double-covered Hemingway. It looked as if it would be picked off by the safety over the top, but Hemingway held on and cruised into the end zone putting Michigan ahead 7-6.

On the ensuing kickoff, J.B. Fitzgerald forced a fumble and Michigan recovered at the VT 26. On 4th-and-3 from the VT 19, field goal holder Drew Dileo ran to the right and threw a prayer towards the middle of the field. It bounced off a pair of Hokies before falling into the arms of lineman Jareth Glanda for a first down at the eight. A pass to the 1-yard line left Michigan with just two seconds left before halftime and Hoke elected to kick the field goal and take a 10-6 lead into the half.

The third quarter started out with a pair of punts and on the first play of Tech’s second possession, freshman Frank Clark picked off a Thomas pass, giving Michigan the ball at the Hokie 35. Four plays later, Robinson found Hemingway in the back of the end zone, again out-leaping the Tech safety and this getting a foot down in bounds. Just like that, with virtually no offense, Michigan had a 17-6 lead.

Tech wasn’t done, however, scoring 11 straight and keeping Michigan’s offense from widening the gap. With nine minutes remaining and the game knotted at 17, Tech faced 4th-and-1 from the Michigan 48. Instead of punting and pinning Michigan’s stagnant offense deep, Beamer chose to run a fake, which Michigan sniffed out and stopped, getting the ball back at the Virginia Tech 45. Robinson moved Michigan into field goal position and Gibbons gave the Wolverines a 20-17 lead with four minutes left.

But Tech put together another long drive, getting all the way down to the Michigan 8-yard line before facing a third down. A false start pushed it back to 3rd-and-7 and the Michigan defense stopped the Hokies two yards short. Myer nailed a 25-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime.

In the first extra period, after two straight runs for five net yards, Thomas connected with receiver Danny Coale in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. But after review, it was ruled incomplete and Tech was forced to settle for its fifth field goal of the game. This time, however, Myer pushed it right, giving Michigan the ball needing just a field goal to win.

Three runs by Fitzgerald Toussaint set up Gibbons in the middle of the field for a game-winning 37-yard field goal that was right down the middle, giving Michigan its first BCS bowl victory since a 2000 Orange Bowl win over Alabama.

Team 132 celebrating the Sugar Bowl victory (photo by Matthew Stockman, Getty Images)

It certainly wasn’t pretty, but Team 132 became just the fifth Michigan team ever to win 11 games in a season, and it did so with defense. Tech’s offense came in averaging 415.8 yards and 28.5 points per game. Michigan held the Hokies to 377 yards and 20 points. Michigan also held running back David Wilson to his second-lowest rushing total of the season, 82 yards. He came in averaging 125 and had surpassed 123 yards in 10 of 13 games.

And so, what began with an embarrassing loss to Appalachian State, continued with two losing seasons without bowls, the worst three-year stretch in Michigan history, and NCAA sanctions, ended with wins over Notre Dame, Nebraska, Ohio State, and a Sugar Bowl victory. The plight of the senior class of Team 132 was summed up in Sugar Bowl MVP Hemingway’s postgame interview on the trophy podium, with tears streaming down his face: “It shows our hard work. It shows everything we put in from Day One, all the long days, long nights. Man, I’m telling you, it feels good man. Too good.”

Hemingway himself serves as a microcosm of the entire senior class. He entered as a heralded receiver out of Conway, South Carolina and showed promise of breaking out as a sophomore when he caught a 33-yard touchdown in Michigan’s 2008 season opener against Utah. But he developed mono, forcing him to miss the rest of the season, receiving a medical redshirt. Over the next couple years, he fought injuries before becoming Robinson’s go-to guy this season. And when all was said and done he was the one who stepped up with two tremendous touchdown catches and earned the Sugar Bowl Most Valuable Player award.

He’s just one of many seniors who will be missed next season, but their legacy will live on. Just like the Navy SEALS that Team 132 patterned its season after, Michigan found a way to get it done through adversity with grit and a determination that 10 wins was just not enough.

Michigan will head into the offseason with a likely Top 10 national ranking, 15 starters returning, and what should be a top 10 recruiting class. And when Team 133 takes the field in Dallas on Sept. 1 it may very well be the start of a national championship run against the defending national champions.

Tim Hardaway Jr led all scorers with 26 points (photo by MGoBlue.com)

Michigan opened Big Ten play on Thursday night with a convincing 71-53 win over Penn State. It was Michigan’s sixth-straight win since losing to Virginia exactly a month ago.

It took the offense a few minutes to get going, but once it did, it pulled away. Evan Smotrycz scored the first bucket of the game, but Michigan went scoreless for the next three minutes. Tim Hardaway Jr hit a jumper and Trey Burke scored twice to put Michigan ahead and the Wolverines never relinquished the lead. The defense forced nine turnovers in the half.

Michigan took a 36-22 lead in the locker room and then widened the lead to 20 on a Jordan Morgan dunk three minutes into the second half. The lead got to as many as 22 at 54-32 and the closest Penn State could get was 16 as Michigan cruised to a comfortable win.

Hardaway led the Wolverines with 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting, despite connecting on just 1-of-7 three-pointers. Smotrycz turned in his third consecutive double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Burke was the only other Wolverine in double figures with 13 points. He also added a team high seven assists.

Michigan shot 47.2 percent from the field and hit 13-of-15 free throws, while holding Penn State to just 26.7 percent shooting from downtown.

Michigan now has a couple of days off before hosting Minnesota (12-2, 0-1) on Sunday at 4pm.

Evan Smotrycz turned in his second straight double-double (photo by MGoBlue.com)

Michigan returned to the court Thursday night with a hard-fought 77-66 win over Bradley in the newly-named Crisler Center. All five Wolverine starters scored in double-digits, led by Evan Smotrycz’ second straight double-double. The sophomore scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Michigan shot just 35 percent in the first half as Bradley made it a game, taking a 33-33 tie into the locker room. Bradley’s Taylor Brown hit a long three at the buzzer to tie the score heading into the half.

The game remained close through the first nine minutes of the second half before Michigan took over. Leading just 52-49, with just under 12 minutes to play, Michigan embarked on a 19-7 run to take control. Michigan shot 59 percent in the second half.

Tim Hardaway scored 16 points and Jordan Morgan added 15. Freshman point guard Trey Burke tallied 12 points and eight assists, while Zack Novack added 11. Burke struggled from the outside, connecting on just 1-of-7 three-pointers, but Smotrycz was the man of the match, hitting 5-of-7 from downtown and 7-of-11 overall.

Michigan opens Big Ten play next Thursday against Penn State (8-5) in the Crisler Center.