Michigan
3-1,0-0Big Ten
Long Beach State
2-2,0-0Big West
Long Beach State Outlasts Michigan in Back-and-Forth Affair
11/17/2023 10:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team led by as many as 16 on Friday night (Nov. 17) but dropped its first contest of the season in a 94-86 loss to Long Beach State at Crisler Center.
Michigan (3-1) jumped out to an early 23-7 lead and held Long Beach State (2-2) to an almost three minute scoring drought in the first half. LBSU ended its drought with a layup at 12:17 and continued to chip away at the Wolverine lead, eventually coming within two, 50-48, at the end of the first half. The Beach took its first lead of the night just over two minutes into the second stanza, and the lead changed hands nine times before LBSU gained a 65-64 edge at 13:31 and held the Wolverines scoreless for the ensuing two and a half minutes.
Michigan fought from down six points to tie the game at 75-75 with 5:48 to play and the momentum shifted back in favor of U-M as Olivier Nkamhoua made big-time plays and pushed Michigan back up by four. Unfortunately for the Maize and Blue, Long Beach State used second-chance scoring and took advantage of a costly Michigan turnover as well as late fouls to outlast the Wolverines and claim a 94-86 win on the road.
Leaders and Best
Nkamhoua led U-M with 22 points and went 8-for-15 from the field while also grabbing 11 rebounds to record a double-double. Dug McDaniel scored 20 points and went 5-for-8 from three.
Second Half
Both teams traded baskets to start the second half. Two layups from LBSU put the Beach up 54-52 but a three-pointer from Terrance Williams II and a jumper from Nkamhoua put Michigan back in front 57-54.
The Beach recaptured the lead but it was again erased by another three from Williams with 14:59 remaining. After nine lead changes to start the second half, a layup put Long Beach State ahead 69-64 which caused Michigan to call timeout with 12:29 left in the game.
A dunk and layup by Nkamhoua helped Michigan to pull within two points as the Wolverines trailed the Beach, 73-71, with 7:37 remaining. After LBSU hit a layup, Michigan answered their own layup from Tray Jackson. The Wolverines still trailed 75-73 at a media timeout at the 6:15 mark.
Nkamhoua tied the game at 75 with a jumpshot and then, with a forceful slam, put Michigan back in front leading the Beach 77-75 with 5:12 to go.
Nkamhoua came up big for the Wolverines again as he grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds and finished off a scrappy possession with an and-one dunk, which put U-M up 80-76 before a media timeout with 3:53 left.Â
After a Beach three-pointer and then a fast break layup off a U-M turnover, Long Beach State led Michigan, 81-80, but once again, Nkamhoua stepped up with a basket through contact to thrust Michigan back into the lead, up 82-81.
A costly Michigan turnover then set up an offensive possession for LBSU that saw Marcus Tsohonis hit a shot in the paint and gave the the Beach a 87-82 lead with less than a minute in regulation.
McDaniel delivered with a shot from beyond the arc to bring the Wolverines within three with 30 seconds remaining, but Long Beach State held on as the Wolverines suffered a 94-86 loss.
First Half
The Wolverines opened "Star Wars Night" with a three-pointer from McDaniel. A bucket by Tarris Reed Jr. and two free throws from Williams quickly put U-M up 7-1 two minutes into the game.
McDaniel and Nimari Burnett both converted on deep threes and then a great defensive possession, which caused a traveling violation and brought the score to 17-5 in favor of the Wolverines.
Coming out of the media timeout with 15:19 remaining, U-M had another defensive stand that saw Nkamhoua get a steal and come down the other end where he went two-for-two from the charity stripe after he was fouled on a fast break.
Long Beach State was held to a near three-minute scoring drought but ended that with a layup from Tsohonis. Michigan quickly responded with another three-pointer from McDaniel as the Wolverines led 23-7 with 13:16 remaining in the first.
U-M allowed LBSU to creep closer as Michigan's lead was cut down to just eight points but, prior to a media timeout with 10:45 left, the Wolverines once again hit a deep ball and led the Beach 26-15.
Long Beach State started to ramp up the offensive attack as they continued to trim Michigan's lead. A costly turnover by U-M led to a transition three-pointer from LBSU, which forced Michigan to call a timeout, up 34-29, with under seven minutes left in the first half.
A McDaniel three-pointer -- his fourth of the half -- caused LBSU to call timeout with four minutes remaining as Michigan led 42-34. After the timeout, Long Beach State continued to dominate on the offensive end. The Beach made four of its last five field goals in the half as the first half closed with a 50-48 Michigan lead.
What's Next
U-M will head to Paradise Island, Bahamas to face Memphis in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday (Nov. 22) at the Imperial Arena. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
Notes
• The Friday night contest featured 13 lead changes.
• U-M led for 26:45, while LBSU led for only 11:16.
• McDaniel and Nkamhoua continued to deliver for Michigan, as both scored in double figures once again.
• Michigan out-rebounded Long Beach State, 38-30
• Nkamhoua recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
