Michigan
4-0
George Washington
0-4
Poole's Career High, Simpson's Double-Double Help U-M Past Colonials
11/17/2018 3:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Michigan improved to 4-0 on the season with an 84-61 victory over George Washington.
» Zavier Simpson recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds while adding eight assists.
» Charles Matthews netted a team-best 25 points for his second 20-point game this season and the ninth of his career.
» Jordan Poole earned his first 20-point contest with 22 points including five three-pointers.
» The Wolverines will compete in the championship game of the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament Sunday (Nov. 18) at 1:30 p.m.
Site: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun Arena)
Event: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament (Semifinals)
Score: #18 Michigan 84, George Washington 61
Records: U-M (4-0), George Washington (0-4)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 18 -- vs. Providence/South Carolina (Uncasville, Conn.), 1:30 p.m. (TV: ESPN)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team found its rhythm in the second half and put together a highlight reel en route to an 84-61 victory over George Washington Saturday (Nov. 17) at the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Michigan scored 15 three-pointers, more than the Wolverines had made this entire season and its most since Feb. 24, 2018 when it made 15 against Maryland. U-M was 50 percent from beyond the arc and shot 50 percent from the floor (31-for-62) while dishing out 20 assists and forcing 11 turnovers.
The Wolverines had multiple players reach career highs against the Colonials as sophomore Jordan Poole logged the first 20-point game of the his career, scoring a career-high 22 points and draining five three-pointers. Junior Zavier Simpson recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. He also dished out eight assists, giving him five or more helpers in each of the first four games this season.
Senior Charles Matthews led Michigan offensively for the third straight game, scoring 25 points to mark his second 20-point game of the season and the ninth of his career. Michigan had two players reach 20-plus points for the first time since March 22, 2018, when Muhammah-Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored 24 and Moritz Wagner had 21 points against Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament.
In all, four players reached double-digit scoring for the Maize and Blue as Isaiah Livers netted 11 points with three three-pointers. Defensively, the Wolverines forced 11 turnovers and pulled down 39 rebounds, led by Simpson's 11 boards.
Following the first timeout of the game, the Wolverine offense went on an 8-0 run that started with a Simpson steal and Matthews dunk on the opposite end before Michigan found four straight treys and extended its lead to 23-10 with 12 minutes to play in the opening frame. Michigan's run ended at 14-2 over 6:22 as it held a 28-10 lead with 7:50 remaining in the first half.
The Colonials worked a small comeback, going on an identical 14-2 run to bring themselves within six, 30-24, with less than two minutes to play in the first half. Livers ended the half with a huge block on the defensive end of the court, and Poole converted the and-one play to allow Michigan to take a 35-26 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
The Wolverines were led by Matthews and Poole in the first half as each reached double-digit scoring with 14 and 13 points, respectively, while Simpson pulled down a team-high five rebounds and Livers had two steals and one block.
U-M netted 13 quick points to open the second half, including two straight three-pointers from Simpson and a layup from Ignas Brazdeikis, to head into the first media timeout with a 20-point advantage, 48-28.
Following the timeout, Poole went on an offensive tear, making three straight three-pointers to put the Wolverines up 61-35. Later, Michigan was then ignited by a 15-2 run that extended its lead to 78-41 with 7:36 remaining on the clock and coasted to the 23-point victory.
The Wolverines will play the winner of the Providence/South Carolina game in the championship contest of the Naismith Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament Sunday (Nov. 18) at 1:30 p.m.
