Michigan
Wayne State (ex)
Harris, Novak Lead Michigan to Exhibition Win Over Wayne State
11/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 6, 2009
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Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Arena)
Score: #15 Michigan 73, Wayne State 54 (exhibition)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 14 -- vs. Northern Michigan (Crisler Arena), 7 p.m.; TV: Big Ten Network
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team defeated Wayne State, 73-54, in an exhibition contest on Friday night (Nov. 6) inside Crisler Arena. Junior guard and pre-season All-Big Ten selection Manny Harris (Detroit, Mich./Redford) led all scorers with 25 points (8-14 FG, 7-8 FT), while sophomore forward Zack Novak (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) drilled five three-pointers to finish with 15 points.
Both teams struggled to find their shot at the outset of the game, as defense dominated the first 10 minutes of action. Harris led all first-half scorers with 16 points, going 5-for-9 from the field with a pair of three-pointers, while senior forward DeShawn Sims (Detroit, Mich./Pershing) chipped in seven. The Wolverines went on a 19-7 run over the last 8:38 to close out the first half, holding Wayne State to just 31-percent shooting. There was no shortage of three-pointers for the Wolverines, as over half of Michigan's first-half field-goal attempts were from downtown (6-for-14; 42.9 percent).
Wayne State came out of the locker room after halftime looking to chip away at Michigan's lead. After the Wolverines went up by as many as 21 in the early stages of the second half, the Warriors cut the deficit to 48-37 with 12:47 to play. On the ensuing possession, Harris received the ball at the top of the key, drove right and sliced through the defense for an and-one to retake the momentum. In all, 10 reserves saw action for the Wolverines, including five freshmen.
Sims finished with nine points and five rebounds, despite being plagued by foul trouble for much of the game. Forwards Zack Gibson (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) and Ben Cronin (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) came off the bench to combine for nine points, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
Despite being outrebounded 40-36, Michigan scored 21 points off 15 Wayne State turnovers, holding the Warriors to just 36 percent shooting for the game. The Wolverines finished 11-for-29 from beyond the arc, led by Novak's five triples.
The Wolverines officially open the season next Saturday night (Nov. 14) when they host Northern Michigan inside Crisler Arena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. and will be televised to a national audience on the Big Ten Network.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
