Michigan
3-1
LSU
3-0
Wolverines' Rally Against LSU Falls Just Short in Maui Opener
11/21/2017 3:42:00 AM | Men's Basketball
» Michigan's rally fell just shy as the Wolverines lost, 77-75, to LSU in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. U-M now plays host Chaminade on Tuesday (Nov. 21) at 3 p.m. HST.
» Charles Matthews' career-high 28 points are a season high for the Wolverines and mark his second 20-plus point game in U-M's four games.
» Moritz Wagner's 24-point game is his first 20-plus point contest of the season and sixth of his career. He was just two points shy of tying his career best.
» U-M has had two 20-plus point scorers in two games this season, with the last in the season opener against North Florida -- Duncan Robinson (21) and Matthews (20).
» Michigan is making its fifth appearance (1985, '88, '98, 2011 and '17) in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, having won the team title in 1985 and 1988.
Site: Lahaina, Hawai'i (Lahaina Civic Center)
Event: Maui Jim Maui Invitational (First Round)
Score: LSU 77, Michigan 75
Records: U-M (3-1), LSU (3-0)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Nov. 21 -- vs. Chaminade -- Maui Jim Maui Invitational (Lahaina, Hawai'i), 3 p.m. HST (TV: ESPN2)
LAHAINA, Hawai'i -- Playing in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational for fifth time, the University of Michigan men's basketball team had a career-best 28 points from junior Charles Matthews and a season-high 24 from junior Moritz Wagner, but it was not enough as the Wolverines fell, 77-75, to LSU in the opening day's final game Monday (Nov. 20) at the Lahaina Civic Center.
The Wolverines' loss sends them to the consolation side of the bracket as U-M will face host Chaminade in a consolation semifinal at 3 p.m. HST (8 p.m. EST) on ESPN2.
Matthews was 10-for-17 from the field while adding a career-best eight rebounds. Wagner added 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field with three long-range buckets in addition to seven rebounds. Senior Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman contributed 12 points and a team-best four assists.
As has been the case in U-M's previous three games, the Wolverines' started slowly as the Tigers hit their first three shots to take a quick 8-2 lead. The Tigers built a lead as large as seven with just under six minutes left before Wagner and Matthews began to find their rhythm and help the Maize and Blue chip away at the lead.
With the duo scoring 18 of U-M's 29 first-half points, U-M tied the game at 29 apiece on an Abdur-Rahkman's cutting drive with six seconds remaining. Following an LSU timeout, the Tigers executed their sideline out-of-bounds play to perfection to take a two-point lead, 31-29, at the break.
U-M's two-man game of Wagner and Matthews helped the Wolverines keep pace in the early stages of the second half, but unlucky breaks and hot early half shooting helped LSU maintain and build an eight-point lead with 12 minutes left. As the Wolverines rallied, they tied the game with just under nine minutes to play and took their first lead at the 8:42 mark after a corner three-pointer by fifth-year senior Duncan Robinson.
The Wolverines continued their second-half push, building a lead as high as a nine points, 68-59, with five minutes remaining. However, LSU would not stop coming, using a 15-6 run to tie the game at 74 with just 1:33 left. With a miscue and turnover by the Wolverines leading to a breakaway dunk, the Tigers regained the lead by two.
After driving to the hoop, Matthews was fouled, sending him to the line with a chance to tie the game with nine seconds remaining. After making only one of two free throws, U-M was forced to foul, sending LSU's Tremont Waters to the line. After Waters made one of two free throws, Abdur-Rahkman drove the length of the court and pulled up for a three for the win, but it fell just short into Wagner's hands. His put-back attempt missed as time expired, handing the Maize and Blue its first loss of the season.
