Michigan
Iowa
Michigan Grinds Out Overtime Win Over Iowa in Big Ten Tournament Opener
3/1/2018 5:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Four players scored in double figures: Charles Matthews (16 points), Zavier Simpson (12), Moritz Wagner (11) and Duncan Robinson (11).
» Trailing, 70-69, Robinson hit a three-pointer at the top of the arc off a screen to put Michigan in front for good. The Wolverines outscored Iowa, 10-4, in the overtime session.
» With the win, Michigan moves on to play fourth-seeded Nebraska in the quarterfinals tomorrow (March 2) at Madison Square Garden (2:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).
Site: New York City (Madison Square Garden)
Event: Big Ten Tournament, Second Round
Score: #5 Michigan 77, #12 Iowa 71 (OT)
Records: U-M (25-7), IOWA (14-19)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 2 -- vs. Nebraska -- Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals (New York City), 2:30 p.m.
NEW YORKÂ -- Junior Charles Matthews scored 16 points and senior Duncan Robinson hit some clutch shots late as the fifth-seeded University of Michigan men's basketball team grinded out a 77-71 overtime win over 12th-seeded Iowa in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday (March 1) at Madison Square Garden.
Joining Matthews as double-digit scorers were sophomore Zavier Simpson (12 points), junior Moritz Wagner (11) and Robinson (11). Robinson struggled with his shot to start the game, but made the biggest play of the game when it mattered, when he hit a three-pointer off a screen to put Michigan up, 72-70, in overtime. The Wolverines would not trail again.
The two teams went back-and-forth for much of the first half. The Hawkeyes took an early 9-4 lead at the first media timeout, but Michigan answered with three free throws from freshman Isaiah Livers and a layup in transition off a turnover from senior Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman.
The Wolverines were up five, 31-26, with just under five minutes to go in the half after Matthews split a pair of free throws. But with Abdur-Rahkman, Wagner and Robinson in foul trouble, the Hawkeyes grabbed momentum going into the locker room, ending the half on a 14-4 run to lead, 40-35. It was the first time Michigan trailed at halftime since Feb. 3 vs. Minnesota, a span of six games.
That lead was gone within the first 90 seconds of the second half, as the Wolverines went on an 11-0 run fueled by Wagner, who scored on the team's first possession out of the break. Layups by Simpson and Matthews and then a dunk by Livers in transition put Michigan up, 43-40, and forced an Iowa timeout. The Hawkeyes could not find a bucket and off the miss, Wagner went to work again. He spun his defender in the post before Wagner finished off a thunderous dunk through contact. The Wolverines led, 46-40, after the 11-0 run but saw Abdur-Rahkman and Wagner both go back to the bench with their third fouls.
Iowa kept hanging around, getting to within two, 53-51, with 9:52 to play. But then Robinson broke the cold spell with a corner three-pointer, the team's first of the day. Two possessions later he hit again, this time with two defenders in his face, putting Michigan up eight. The Wolverines lost Wagner when he fouled out with 4:37 left in regulation, but Michigan led, 63-57.
The Hawkeyes cut it to three on a triple from Nicholas Baer with 59 seconds left. Abdur-Rakhman was fouled and went to the line for a one-and-one with 27.3 seconds left, but missed the front end, which allowed Iowa to get the rebound, advance the ball and call timeout. On the ensuing possession, Iowa's Jordan Bohannon hit a deep three-pointer to tie the game at 63 with 16 seconds left. The Wolverines had one final chance in regulation, but a drive into the lane by Abdur-Rakhman did not go, and sent the game to overtime.
Iowa got the first two points of the extra session on a bucket from Luka Garza, but Matthews tied it after he split a pair of free throws on consecutive trips to the foul line. Down, 70-69, and with Abdur-Rakhman having just fouled out, Robinson hit his clutch three-pointer to put the Wolverines in front for good. The Hawkeyes did not make another shot from that point and Michigan made their free throws to end the game.
The Wolverines advance to Friday's quarterfinals, facing fourth-seed Nebraska. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Nebraska won the lone matchup between the teams, 72-52, back on Jan. 18 in Lincoln.
