The Michigan Wolverines (24-3, 13-3) had a well earned reputation going into Thursday night's game at The Barn. The seventh ranked team was winning game after game with a certain style.
They combined an efficient offense with a stifling scoring defense that was third best in the country. That formula worked well on the road, as the Wolverines simply were not put under any stress as they pulled out a nine-point win.
The visitors entered the game averaging 70 points per game and giving up 58. The style of game and pace that ensued was in their wheelhouse in the 70-61 victory over Minnesota (17-10, 7-9).
Michigan built an early lead and never looked back. The deficit got as big as 21 midway through the second half. The Gophers were woeful from the field for much of the game and made just one of ten 3-pointers.
Michigan got off to a lighting start on both ends. The early score was tied at six, but an 11-0 run put the Wolverines up 17-6 at the twelve minute mark.
In the first eight minutes, Michigan shot fifty percent from the field and knocked down three 3-pointers. As Minnesota packed in the help into the lane, the Wolverines answered with the long ball. Eight of their first thirteen shots were via the three. Minnesota on the other hand was 3 of 15 shooting.
The Gophers answered out of the timeout with four straight to cut the lead to 17-10. Richard Pitino made his first adjustment of the game by extending the perimeter defense and running the Michigan shooters off the 3-point line. This seemed to slow down the opponent, and the Gophers were able to take a chunk off the lead when the next media break took place at 6:56 with the score 22-14.
It was a slow ride with the game being played in a half court pace and Minnesota doing their work in the post. Jordan Murphy, Daniel Oturu, and Eric Curry scored 12 of their first 14 points.
But overall, Minnesota could not get the lid off their goal in the first half. Michigan extended the lead to 24-14 with 3:37 remaining. At that point, they were 6 of 28 for 22.2 percent shooting. Despite grabbing nine offensive boards up to that point, they still couldn't finish on their second chances. Michigan was packing the defense in and forcing the Gopher players to finish over them.
Murphy was 2 for 7 and Amir Coffey was 0 for 9 in the first seventeen minutes for a combined 2 of 16.
The ten point deficit is where the lead stood in the defensive struggle as the Wolverines took a 28-18 lead into the locker room.
Minnesota shot just 21.2 percent from the field. They also only had three assists compared to seven turnovers. Their saving grace to stay in the game was 10 offensive rebounds and a defensive performance that held Michigan to 35.5 percent shooting themselves.
Despite the lack of team numbers, Daniel Oturu had a double double at the half with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Murphy had 4 points and 10 boards. Dupree McBrayer and Eric Curry both added 2 points. Amir Coffey was 0 for 10. McBrayer and Gabe Kalscheur were 0 for 2.
Jordan Poole hit three treys for 11 points to lead Michigan. Jon Teske followed with 6.
If Michigan opened up hot to start the game, they doubled down to begin the second half. After an opening layup by Coffey, Brazdeikis scored seven, and Poole and Teske also added buckets as the Wolverines went on a 12-0 run to open the score up to 40-22 at the sixteen minute mark.
Taking Michigan's defensive abilities into account, an eighteen point lead with sixteen minutes left seemed almost insurmountable.
Two free throws by Charles Matthews pushed the lead twenty at 45-25 with 13:51 remaining. Minnesota actually began to heat up at that point as they scored on three straight possessions, but that was to no avail. Matthews and Isaiah Livers hit back to back 3-pointers to keep the lead from diminishing.
The lead went to 21, but the Gophers would not die, Kalscheur hit a 3-pointer and then McBrayer got a steal and a breakaway dunk to cut the lead to 53-40 with 7:49 left, forcing Beilein to take a timeout.
Minnesota trimmed the lead to eleven, but Xavier Simpson found Teske on a pick and pop for a huge three to stall the run and open the lead back to fourteen at 61-47 with 4:23 left. After a stop, the duo ran the same action the next time down with the same results. Another Teske trifecta virtually iced the game, stretching the lead to 17 with only 3:40 remaining.
Once again, the Gophers wouldn't quit. Michigan tried to guard without fouling which helped generate some buckets via the drive. After the scores, Minnesota jumped into a press which the Wolverines struggled with. There were also some missed free throws. In the end, Minnesota lost by nine, 70-61, which was as close as they would get in the second half.
Minnesota did pick up their shooting percentage to 37.3, but it was in the twenties for much of the game. They shot just ten percent with one make from behind the arc. Foul shots were also big in the second half. They were able to get to the line, but were unable to build momentum due to misses. The Gophers were 9 of 18.
They only had one turnover in the second half, and ended up with 13 assists to 8 miscues. They also won the rebounding battle 45-38, and had 15 offensive boards.
Both of Minnesota's starting big men had double doubles. Daniel Oturu had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Murphy added 18 points and 15 boards.
Dupree McBrayer went for 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Amir Coffey had one of his worst shooting nights in a Minnesota uniform. He was 2 for 15 from the field for 6 points. Gabe Kalscheur had 5, Eric Curry 4, and Brock Stull 2. Isaiah Washington played and did not score.
Michigan was 43.9 percent from the field, but they did their damage with the 3-point shot. They were an impressive 13 of 28 from there for 46.4 percent. They only got to the line elven times and made just six. The Wolverines had 20 assists compared to 10 turnovers.
Jordan Poole led all scorers with 22, powered by five 3-pointers. Jon Teske made three long balls himself, on the way to 17 points and 7 boards. Ignas Brazdeikis added 10.
Minnesota's next game will be Sunday at Rutgers. It will be televised on the Big Ten Network at 4:30 CST.
They combined an efficient offense with a stifling scoring defense that was third best in the country. That formula worked well on the road, as the Wolverines simply were not put under any stress as they pulled out a nine-point win.
The visitors entered the game averaging 70 points per game and giving up 58. The style of game and pace that ensued was in their wheelhouse in the 70-61 victory over Minnesota (17-10, 7-9).
Michigan built an early lead and never looked back. The deficit got as big as 21 midway through the second half. The Gophers were woeful from the field for much of the game and made just one of ten 3-pointers.
Michigan got off to a lighting start on both ends. The early score was tied at six, but an 11-0 run put the Wolverines up 17-6 at the twelve minute mark.
In the first eight minutes, Michigan shot fifty percent from the field and knocked down three 3-pointers. As Minnesota packed in the help into the lane, the Wolverines answered with the long ball. Eight of their first thirteen shots were via the three. Minnesota on the other hand was 3 of 15 shooting.
The Gophers answered out of the timeout with four straight to cut the lead to 17-10. Richard Pitino made his first adjustment of the game by extending the perimeter defense and running the Michigan shooters off the 3-point line. This seemed to slow down the opponent, and the Gophers were able to take a chunk off the lead when the next media break took place at 6:56 with the score 22-14.
It was a slow ride with the game being played in a half court pace and Minnesota doing their work in the post. Jordan Murphy, Daniel Oturu, and Eric Curry scored 12 of their first 14 points.
But overall, Minnesota could not get the lid off their goal in the first half. Michigan extended the lead to 24-14 with 3:37 remaining. At that point, they were 6 of 28 for 22.2 percent shooting. Despite grabbing nine offensive boards up to that point, they still couldn't finish on their second chances. Michigan was packing the defense in and forcing the Gopher players to finish over them.
Murphy was 2 for 7 and Amir Coffey was 0 for 9 in the first seventeen minutes for a combined 2 of 16.
The ten point deficit is where the lead stood in the defensive struggle as the Wolverines took a 28-18 lead into the locker room.
Minnesota shot just 21.2 percent from the field. They also only had three assists compared to seven turnovers. Their saving grace to stay in the game was 10 offensive rebounds and a defensive performance that held Michigan to 35.5 percent shooting themselves.
Despite the lack of team numbers, Daniel Oturu had a double double at the half with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Murphy had 4 points and 10 boards. Dupree McBrayer and Eric Curry both added 2 points. Amir Coffey was 0 for 10. McBrayer and Gabe Kalscheur were 0 for 2.
Jordan Poole hit three treys for 11 points to lead Michigan. Jon Teske followed with 6.
If Michigan opened up hot to start the game, they doubled down to begin the second half. After an opening layup by Coffey, Brazdeikis scored seven, and Poole and Teske also added buckets as the Wolverines went on a 12-0 run to open the score up to 40-22 at the sixteen minute mark.
Taking Michigan's defensive abilities into account, an eighteen point lead with sixteen minutes left seemed almost insurmountable.
Two free throws by Charles Matthews pushed the lead twenty at 45-25 with 13:51 remaining. Minnesota actually began to heat up at that point as they scored on three straight possessions, but that was to no avail. Matthews and Isaiah Livers hit back to back 3-pointers to keep the lead from diminishing.
The lead went to 21, but the Gophers would not die, Kalscheur hit a 3-pointer and then McBrayer got a steal and a breakaway dunk to cut the lead to 53-40 with 7:49 left, forcing Beilein to take a timeout.
Minnesota trimmed the lead to eleven, but Xavier Simpson found Teske on a pick and pop for a huge three to stall the run and open the lead back to fourteen at 61-47 with 4:23 left. After a stop, the duo ran the same action the next time down with the same results. Another Teske trifecta virtually iced the game, stretching the lead to 17 with only 3:40 remaining.
Once again, the Gophers wouldn't quit. Michigan tried to guard without fouling which helped generate some buckets via the drive. After the scores, Minnesota jumped into a press which the Wolverines struggled with. There were also some missed free throws. In the end, Minnesota lost by nine, 70-61, which was as close as they would get in the second half.
Minnesota did pick up their shooting percentage to 37.3, but it was in the twenties for much of the game. They shot just ten percent with one make from behind the arc. Foul shots were also big in the second half. They were able to get to the line, but were unable to build momentum due to misses. The Gophers were 9 of 18.
They only had one turnover in the second half, and ended up with 13 assists to 8 miscues. They also won the rebounding battle 45-38, and had 15 offensive boards.
Both of Minnesota's starting big men had double doubles. Daniel Oturu had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Murphy added 18 points and 15 boards.
Dupree McBrayer went for 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Amir Coffey had one of his worst shooting nights in a Minnesota uniform. He was 2 for 15 from the field for 6 points. Gabe Kalscheur had 5, Eric Curry 4, and Brock Stull 2. Isaiah Washington played and did not score.
Michigan was 43.9 percent from the field, but they did their damage with the 3-point shot. They were an impressive 13 of 28 from there for 46.4 percent. They only got to the line elven times and made just six. The Wolverines had 20 assists compared to 10 turnovers.
Jordan Poole led all scorers with 22, powered by five 3-pointers. Jon Teske made three long balls himself, on the way to 17 points and 7 boards. Ignas Brazdeikis added 10.
Minnesota's next game will be Sunday at Rutgers. It will be televised on the Big Ten Network at 4:30 CST.
