Michigan
14-3 (3-1)
Illinois
10-7 (0-4)
Wolverines Overcome First-Half Deficit to Top Illini
1/6/2018 3:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» The Wolverines had six players score in double figures for the first time since Jan. 26, 2017, vs. Indiana.
» Freshmen Isaiah Livers and Jordan Poole combined for 14 of Michigan's 31 first-half points and finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
» Junior Moritz Wagner matched a season-high three blocks to go along with a team-high 14 points.
» Michigan remains undefeated at home this season (9-0).
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: Michigan 79, Illinois 69
Records: U-M (14-3, 3-1 Big Ten), ILL (10-7, 0-4 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Jan. 9 -- vs. Purdue (Crisler Center), 9 p.m. (TV: ESPN)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team overcame an eight-point first-half deficit to top Illinois, 79-69, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 6) inside Crisler Center. Michigan remains perfect at home (9-0).
Overall, the Wolverines had six players score in double figures: junior Moritz Wagner (14), seniors Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (13) and Duncan Robinson (13), freshmen Isaiah Livers (12) and Jordan Poole (11) and junior Charles Matthews (10). It is the first time U-M has had six double-figure scorers in a game since Jan. 26, 2017, against Indiana.
After missing two games due to injury and playing his way back into game form over the past two games, Wagner posted double-digit points for the first time since Michigan's game at Texas on Dec. 12 and matched a season high with three blocks. Matthews' 10 points all came in the second half, as foul trouble early in the first half found him on the bench until the second half.
Sophomore Zavier Simpson recorded a game-high seven assists in the win, marking his third straight game with five or more dimes and fifth of the season.
The Wolverines got on the board to begin the first half with a bucket from Simpson followed by a triple from Wagner to grab a 5-2 lead at the 17:02 mark. The Illini then used a 6-0 run to take an 8-5 lead over Michigan.
Robinson added back-to-back baskets to keep Michigan close, down 11-9, at 13:45 but Illinois capitalized on U-M turnovers and went on another 6-0 run to regain the lead, 17-9, at 9:49. Robinson snapped the 4:22 scoring drought for the Wolverines at 9:23, making it 17-11.
Michigan staged an impressive freshmen-led comeback, starting at the 6:31 mark, with a triple from Livers to cut U-M's deficit to 21-16, which brought the crowd at Crisler Center to its feet. Simpson then drew an offensive foul to set Livers up for back-to-back dunks, followed by three free throws from Poole and yet another dunk from Livers to give U-M its first lead since 16:45, 25-23, with 4:06 to go in the opening half. Illinois committed three turnovers during the 12-2 Michigan run.
Welcome to the party, Isaiah Livers.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 6, 2018
Looks like @JohnBeilein found another fantastic freshman, as @umichbball is getting dunks on dunks: pic.twitter.com/ozuj9i5LWy
Robinson scored U-M's final points of the first half with a triple at 1:59 to give the Wolverine a brief 31-29 lead. The Illini added five points to finish out the half, giving them a 34-31 edge at halftime. Freshmen Livers and Poole combined for 14 of U-M's 31 first-half points (45 percent).
Michigan began the second half with yet another dunk, this time from Matthews, to begin a 7-0 run that put the lead back in U-M's favor for good, 38-34, at 18:36. A pair of Poole triples, 40 seconds apart and from the same spot, grew the Wolverines' lead to seven, 47-40, with 14:13 to go in the game.
Welcome to the party, Isaiah Livers.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 6, 2018
Looks like @JohnBeilein found another fantastic freshman, as @umichbball is getting dunks on dunks: pic.twitter.com/ozuj9i5LWy
Illinois came as close as five, 51-46, at 11:31, but the Wolverines broke away to finish out the game. U-M led by as many as 14, 73-59, with 2:46 remaining. The Maize and Blue shot 64 percent from the field in the second half and 51 percent for the game -- U-M's fifth game this season shooting 50 percent or better.
The Wolverines will remain at home to host No. 13 Purdue on Tuesday (Jan. 9) at 9 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
