Postgame Notes: Michigan 64, North Carolina Central 44
12/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2010
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• With the win, Michigan improves to 8-2 on the season. The Wolverines are also 7-0 at Crisler Arena this season.
• Michigan's 8-2 start matches the best start during John Beilein's tenure at Michigan. The Wolverines also started 8-2 during the 2008-09 season.
• Tuesday's contest marked the second meeting between Michigan and N.C. Central. The Wolverines have won both matchups against the Eagles. U-M and N.C. Central last met in Ann Arbor on Dec. 29, 2008, with Michigan winning, 77-57.
• Darius Morris led the Wolverines with 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting (55 percent). This marked the third game this season that Morris led U-M in scoring. Morris added three assists, a rebound and a steal in the win.
• Jon Horford came off the bench and recorded career highs with nine points and nine rebounds, including seven offensive boards, in 15 minutes.
• Evan Smotrycz scored 10 points (3-of-7 field goal, 2-of-2 free throw), his third double-digit scoring output for the season and first since scoring a career-high 18 points against Clemson on Nov. 30. He also added two rebounds and two assists in tonight's win.
• Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 11 points (3-of-9 FG, 3-of-4 FT), his fifth double-digit scoring output this season. He also added a game-high four assists and four rebounds.
• Blake McLimans hit his first career three-pointer in the second half.
• The win against N.C. Central marks the fifth straight game in which at least three Wolverines have scored double-digit points. Michigan is 5-0 during this stretch. Darius Morris (12), Tim Hardaway Jr. (11) and Evan Smotrycz (10) each scored in double figures in the win.
• Michigan shot 29 percent (8-for-28) from the field in the first half (lowest of the season) and 54 percent (15-of-28) in the second half. The Wolverines' first-half field goal percentage also tied the season low for field goal percentage in a half (second half against Syracuse in the Legends Classic on Nov. 26). Michigan shot 41 percent from the field for the game.
• Michigan held North Carolina Central to identical shooting marks in each half. The Wolverines held the Eagles to 30 percent shooting (7-of-23) in each half and 25 percent (2-of-8) from the three-point line.
• Michigan outscored North Carolina Central in each half (23-19 in the first half; 41-25 in the second half).
• The Wolverines won the rebounding battle, 37-33. U-M is 6-0 this season when it out-rebounds its opponent.
• The Wolverines turned the ball over a season-low seven times tonight.
• Michigan had a positive assist-turnover ratio for the third game in a row. Over the three-game stretch, the Wolverines have recorded 49 assists and 23 turnovers (more than a 2:1 ratio).
• Michigan beat N.C. Central in points in the paint (22-14), points off turnovers (16-6), second-chance points (10-8) and fast-break points (9-0).
• Michigan took its second lead of the game on a Jordan Morgan dunk with 15:26 remaining in the first half. The Wolverines never trailed after this point and led by as many as 25.
• The Wolverines wore their white jerseys for the fifth time this season. Michigan is now 5-0 this season when wearing white.
• For the 10th straight game, Michigan went with the starting lineup of Darius Morris, Zack Novak, Tim Hardaway Jr., Evan Smotrycz and Jordan Morgan.
