Michigan
9-18 (5-10)
Illinois
11-17 (3-12)
Freshman Backcourt Helps Wolverines Squeeze Past Illinois
2/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: Michigan 49, Illinois 43
Records: U-M (9-18, 5-10 Big Ten), Illinois (11-17, 3-12 Big Ten)
Attendance: 11,017
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Feb. 26 -- vs. Northwestern (Crisler Arena), 9 p.m.
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes | Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team extended its home winning streak to three games with a 49-43 victory over the University of Illinois Saturday afternoon (Feb. 23) in Crisler Arena. The Wolverines stifled the Illini in the second half, holding Illinois scoreless from the field for almost 12 minutes of play.
The U-M freshman duo of Manny Harris(Detroit, Mich./Redford HS) and Kelvin Grady(Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids HS) handled the game on the offensive end of the court for the Wolverines, combining for 18 of Michigan's 27 second-half points and 26 total in the game. Harris posted a game-high 14 points on 4-for-14 from the field, while Grady's 12 points included a pair of three-pointers. Sophomore DeShawn Sims(Detroit, Mich./Pershing HS) tied a career high with nine rebounds in addition to scoring seven points, while Ekpe Udoh(Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe HS) had seven points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots.
The game was a defensive battle from the start, as each squad netted only nine field goals in the first stanza, including four three-pointers apiece. Grady accounted for a pair of the Wolverines' four triples, the second of which gave Michigan a 10-6 lead at 14:04. A three-pointer by Sims with less than a minute to go in the half reclaimed a 22-21 U-M lead, but Illinois returned the favor the next trip down the floor as Illini guard Calvin Brock netted a three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer for a 24-22 Illinois lead at the break. Both teams suffered through field goal droughts of more than five minutes in the first half.
The game remained close throughout the second half as neither team gained a sizeable advantage. With the game tied 35-35 and just over nine minutes remaining in the game, the Wolverines opened a 10-3 run to gain a 45-38 advantage with 1:45 left in the game. Harris was responsible for six points during the run, including two low-post buckets. He finished with 12 second-half points. Michigan went on to tally four free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
The Wolverines will wrap a three-game swing in six days by hosting Northwestern Tuesday (Feb. 26) at Crisler Arena. The game will tip off at 9 p.m. and be televised on the Big Ten Network. Michigan will be seeking a season sweep after beating the Wildcats 78-68 on Jan. 12 in Evanston, Ill.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
