National Basketball Association
Michigan 79, Illinois 69
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 6, 2018
Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Officials:
# Chris Beaver, # Bo Boroski, # Kelly Pfeifer
Attendance:
11888
By Field Level Media
Michigan put six players in double figures Saturday, using a second-half rally to subdue Illinois 79-69 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Moritz Wagner led the way with 14 points, while Duncan Robinson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman each scored 13. Reserve forward Isaiah Livers netted 12 points as the Wolverines (14-3, 3-1 Big Ten) improved to 9-0 at home. Backup guard Jordan Poole added 11 points and Charles Matthews chipped in 10.
Kipper Nichols came off the bench to tally a game-high 17 points for the Fighting Illini (10-7, 0-4). Reserve Greg Eboigbodin scored 10.
Illinois controlled play for most of the first half, using physical defense to slow down Michigan. Nichols' dunk at the 9:49 mark gave it a 17-9 lead, and it maintained that eight-point lead until Livers' slam capped a 12-2 spurt that made it 25-23 Wolverines.
The Illini withstood that run, though, and pushed back. Nichols' 3-pointer with 1:04 remaining in the half enabled them to take a 34-31 edge to the locker room.
However, Michigan put its stamp on the game to start the second half, using a 16-6 run to establish a 47-40 lead when Poole sank a 3-pointer with 14:13 left in the game. Matthews' 3-pointer with 9:38 remaining gave the Wolverines their first double-digit lead of the day at 59-48.
Michigan kept Illinois at bay for the game's remainder, stretching its winning streak to seven games as it canned 51 percent of its field goal attempts and hit eight 3-pointers. That marked the 14th time in 17 games it has connected on eight or more 3s.
The Illini shot decently from the field at 48.2 percent, although they were a miserable 3-of-20 on 3-pointers. Illinois won the rebounding battle 31-27, but hurt itself with 17 turnovers that the Wolverines converted into 17 points.
Michigan owned a 37-24 advantage in points off the bench and went 19 of 24 at the foul line, while the Illini were 12 of 14.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Illinois |
|
Michigan |
|
Kipper Nichols 17 |
Scoring |
Moritz Wagner 14 |
|
Te'Jon Lucas 6 |
Assists |
Zavier Simpson 7 |
|
Kipper Nichols 7 |
Rebounds |
Moritz Wagner 7 |
|
Kipper Nichols 4 |
Free Throws Made |
Jordan Poole 5 |
|
Kipper Nichols 2 |
Steals |
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman 2 |
|
Greg Eboigbodin 2 |
Blocks |
Moritz Wagner 3 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| Illinois
|
69 |
48.2 |
3-14 |
12-14 |
13 |
30 |
4 |
7 |
17 |
| Michigan
|
79 |
51.0 |
8-20 |
19-24 |
18 |
24 |
5 |
7 |
15 |
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