In a grudge match that mimicked Massive Ten battles of previous seasons, No. 15 Michigan grinded out a 49-46 win over Nebraska. The Wolverines navigated the rock combat by using a number of defensive schemes to disrupt the Cornhuskers offense and quiet Brice Williams within the second half.
Williams had scored 18 factors within the first half, flattening 4-of-7 3-point pictures. The Wolverines adjusted, fronting him and throwing double-teams at him, forcing his teammates to step up. Williams shot simply 2-of-8 within the second half.
Sam Hoiberg, the son of Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg, got here off a dribble hand-off and hit a deep 3-pointer to convey the Cornhuskers inside 45-44 with 1:36 remaining. The Wolverines then missed a pair of 3-pointers, however the Cornhuskers could not capitalize as guard Connor Essegian and Williams every missed potential go-ahead pictures.
Roddy Gayle Jr. and Tre Donaldson every knocked down a pair of foul pictures to seal the victory for the Wolverines.
Gayle scored 12 factors to guide Michigan, Donaldson added 11, and ahead Danny Wolf contributed together with his twelfth double-double (10 factors, 10 rebounds) of the season.
Williams ended with 26 factors, virtually keen the Cornhuskers to an important resume-building win by scoring over half of his staff’s factors.
Members of Nebraska’s soccer staff, together with quarterback Dylan Raiola, watched on because the Cornhuskers struggled to seek out their rhythm on offense.
Nebraska (17-11 general, 7-10 Massive Ten) dropped to tenth within the Massive Ten standings with the loss. The Cornhuskers sit simply 1.5 video games up on Sixteenth-place Northwestern and now have to make sure they qualify for the Massive Ten Match earlier than they’ll even fear about their place within the NCAA Match.
Michigan (21-6, 13-3), then again, finds itself tied with Michigan State for first place within the convention, though the Spartans maintain the tie-breaker. The Wolverines have one of many high defenses within the nation, sitting fifteenth in KenPom’s rankings, however have been part of a variety of high-scoring affairs. They scored 86 in a win at Ohio State on Feb. 16, 91 in a 15-point win over Washington on Jan. 12 and 94 in a 19-point win at UCLA on Jan. 7.
Monday evening was the fewest factors the Wolverines have scored in a victory in 17 years. It marked the third time in 11 years {that a} staff received a Massive Ten recreation with fewer than 50 factors. Michigan shot a season-low 30%, and Nebraska’s 26% capturing was its worst mark because it made 21.1% in a house loss to Maryland in 2019.
The sport alternated between a mixture of nice protection and abysmal capturing. Nebraska was 1-of-7 on layups, whereas Michigan was 3-of-12.
Michigan’s earlier low level whole in a win got here in a 49-43 victory over Illinois on Feb. 23, 2008. Michigan scored on three straight possessions to take a six-point lead with 4:25 left, with Wolf making a 3-pointer and a jumper and L.J. Cason a 3 for his solely basket and a 45-39 lead.
L.J. Cason drains a clutch 3-pointer to assist seal No. 15 Michigan’s victory over Nebraska
The Cornhuskers have misplaced two straight and wish to seek out offense from somebody aside from Williams. He scored Nebraska’s first 13 factors and 18 of its 21 within the first half; 9 different teammates who noticed the ground mixed for 20 factors and had been 7-of-41 from the sphere.
Michigan hosts Rutgers on Thursday. Nebraska hosts Minnesota on Saturday.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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