Michigan
4-10 (0-2)
Purdue
10-4 (1-0)
Harris and Wolverines Just Miss Comeback Win at Purdue
1/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Site: West Lafayette, Ind. (Mackey Arena)
Score: Purdue 65, Michigan 58
Records: U-M (4-10, 0-2), Purdue (10-4; 1-0)
Attendance: 14,010
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Jan. 8 -- vs. Indiana (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.
Boxscore | Postgame Notes | Video Report
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Despite a valiant second-half effort, the University of Michigan men's basketball team dropped its fourth straight game of the season, 65-58 at Purdue Saturday (Jan. 5) in Mackey Arena.
In a classic Big Ten contest, Purdue (10-4, 1-0 Big Ten) used a first-half three-point barrage to take a 14-point halftime lead, but the Wolverines (4-10, 0-2 Big Ten) responded with a 14-2 start of the second half run to cut the Boilermaker lead to just two four minutes into the second half. In the ensuing back-and-forth battle, the Wolverines were unable to capitalize as the game went down to the wire and the Boilermakers pulled away with free throws in the final minute to claim the victory.
Leading the U-M charge was freshman Manny Harris(Detroit, Mich./Redford HS), who posted his fourth career 20-plus point game with a career-best 25 points after going 7-for-16 from the field, including a 10-for-11 performance from the free throw line. He added five rebounds, three assists, a block and steal in 36 minutes of action.
After sitting most of the first half in foul trouble, sophomore DeShawn Sims(Detroit, Mich./Pershing HS) came back strong in the second stanza to score 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting, including two triples. He added four rebounds and an assist in 26 minutes. Senior/junior C.J. Lee(Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford HS) earned his first career start, closing with two points and one steal in 14 minutes of action.
With two of the younger Big Ten teams meeting each other, the first half started with the teams battling up and down the court as each held its own offensively as well as defensively. With the score 11-10 in Purdue's favor, each offense stalled as neither team scored for the next four minutes. The Boilermakers got back into rhythm first, building a seven-point, 22-15 lead with just under four minutes to go. Using that momentum, Purdue exploded from long range to close out the half, draining four straight three-point attempts to close the half on a 11-3 run and take a 14-point lead into the half.
In the second half, the momentum switched quickly to U-M as Harris and Sims took over early for the Wolverines, scoring 12 of Michigan's early second-half 14 points to cut the lead to two four minutes into the second stanza. Purdue responded, building its lead to as much as seven in the middle of the second half, but the Boilermakers could not pull away as the resilient Wolverines continued to counterattack.
With the Purdue lead cut to three with under two minutes to go, the squads continued to go back and forth. The Boilermakers gained the edge down the stretch after U-M had two key turnovers and had to foul down the stretch to stop the clock, helping Purdue pull away for the win by sinking 9-of-10 free throws down the stretch.
The Wolverines continue Big Ten play when they head back to Crisler Arena to face No. 11/12 Indiana Tuesday (Jan. 8). The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff and will be televised on ESPN.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
