Michigan
21-11
Northwestern (#9)
20-12
Irvin Game-Winner Caps OT Victory over Northwestern
3/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2016
» The Wolverines led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but Northwestern tied the game as time expired to force Michigan to overtime for the first time this season.
» Zak Irvin hit the game-deciding basket on a 15-foot jumper with three seconds to play in overtime.
» Robinson (21), Irvin (19) and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (14) finished in double figures in points.
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Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Bankers Life Field House)
Event: Big Ten Tournament (Second Round)
Score: Michigan 72, Northwestern 70 (OT)
Records: U-M (21-11), NW (20-12)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 11 -- vs. Indiana - Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis, Ind.), Noon [ TV: BTN ]
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team held off the Northwestern Wildcats to win its Big Ten Tournament opener, 72-70, in overtime on Thursday afternoon (March 10) inside Bankers Life Field House thanks to a game-winning jumper from junior guard Zak Irvin.
After trailing by as many as 12 points in the second half, Northwestern made a put-back jumper as time expired in regulation to send the contest to overtime. Junior/sophomore guard Duncan Robinson opened the scoring in the ensuing period with a wide-open three-pointer from the corner to make the score 63-60. Later, Irvin stretched Michigan's lead to four with a mid-range jumper, but the Wildcats battled back once again to take the lead, 70-67 with 1:33 to play.
On Michigan's next possession, Robinson again hitting a big shot, coming off a screen on the wing to bury a three-pointer to tie the game, 70-70, with 46 seconds to play. After a Northwestern miss, Irvin provided the game-winner, draining a pull-up 15-foot jumper with three seconds on the clock.
Robinson co-led all scorers with 21 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. Irvin finished with 19 points, and sophomore guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman had 14 points. Irvin and Abdur-Rahkman co-led Michigan with eight rebounds each.
The Wolverines got off to an explosive start in the opening four minutes of the contest. Abdur-Rahkman was an early catalyst for the offense, scoring Michigan's first eight points with a pair of triples and assisting on a Robinson three-pointer for the fourth basket. Irvin added a triple on the next possession, and then Robinson dropped a floater in the lane to put the Maize and Blue ahead, 16-3 with 14:45 remaining.
Later, junior guard Andrew Dakich splashed a triple from the corner to put Michigan up 23-11, but Northwestern began to cut into the deficit, and the Wolverines' double-digit advantage evaporated. The Wildcats found their rhythm and rattled off a 10-0 scoring run to get within two, 23-21, at the 7:28 mark.
Robinson fired back to give the Wolverines some breathing room, scoring all eight of Michigan's points during an 8-2 run. Irvin added a pullup jumper from the top of the key as time ran out in the half, sending Michigan into the break with a 34-25 advantage. The Wolverines' defense was tough to crack in the first half, limiting Northwestern to 25-percent shooting (8-of-32) from the floor.
The second half was highlighted by a series of back-and-forth scoring runs. Abdur-Rahkman connected on a triple to start the second half, putting Michigan up by 12, but the Wildcats engineered a 9-0 run to get back within three, 37-34, with 16 minutes to play in the game. The Wolverines' answered right back with a 12-6 run to make it 49-40, anchored by back-to-back triples from Abdur-Rahkman and sophomore guard Kameron Chatman.
Michigan could not hold on to the momentum, and the Wildcats sparked a 12-3 scoring run to tie the game, capped by a spinning post move from big man Alex Olah (20 points/13 rebounds) with four minutes to play.
With the win, Michigan moves on to the next round of the Big Ten Tournament to face off with the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday afternoon (March 10) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Opening tip is set for noon, and coverage can be found on ESPN.
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72 | 70 |
• Zak Irvin's overtime jumper at three seconds gave Michigan the go-ahead points to defeat Northwestern, 72-70, in the 168th meeting between the two teams. This is the third time that Northwestern and Michigan have faced off in the Big Ten Tournament, and Michigan now holds the 2-1 edge.
• This is just the second overtime game in Michigan's Big Ten Tournament history. U-M defeated Purdue, 79-73, on March 14, 1999, in its only other extra-period game. Michigan is 15-7 in overtime games under John Beilein. U-M is 67-40 all-time in overtime games.
• The Wolverines were without the services of their two seniors, Spike Albrecht and Caris LeVert, due to season-ending injuries.
• Including today's 12 treys, U-M has made 10-plus three-pointers in 19 games. The Wolverines are 14-5 when hitting double-digit triples.
• Duncan Robinson led the Wolverines with 21 points, tying a season high in his first-ever Big Ten Tournament. Robinson shot 5-of-7 from the charity stripe and is near perfect at the line shooting 35-of-39 on the season.
• This game marks Zak Irvin's 100th career game with Michigan, becoming just the 64th Wolverine to surpass the number. Irvin scored 18, grabbed four rebounds and with his two assists is now totaling 96 on the season.
• Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman set a new career best with four three-pointers against the Wildcats while tying a career-high eight rebounds. With those long-range buckets, he posted 14 points -- his 10th double-digit scoring effort this season. Earlier this season, he led U-M with 19 points in the home win against the Wildcats.
• Derrick Walton Jr.'s first points came with just 2:34 left to play when he sank both at the charity stripe to retake the lead from the Wildcats, 56-55. Walton dished out five assists and finished with seven rebounds, his 20th game this season with five-plus rebounds.
Communications Contact: Tom Wywrot
