Michigan
8-17,3-11Big Ten
Illinois
18-6,9-4Big Ten
Michigan Drops Road Test at No. 14 Illinois
2/13/2024 9:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team fell to No. 14-ranked Illinois, 97-68, on Tuesday night (Feb. 13) at the State Farm Center.
Leaders and Best
Terrance Williams II posted a team-best 17 points while shooting 7-for-9 from the free throw line. Tarris Reed Jr. added 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks while Olivier Nkamhoua posted 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Turning Point
With U-M trailing 31-27 with four minutes before halftime, Illinois went on a 16-2 run to end the half. The Wolverines could not pull within single digits the rest of the way as the Illini claimed the win.
First Half
The Wolverines (8-17, 3-11 B1G) started the game cold from the field, making just two of their first 10 field goal attempts. However, layups from Williams II and Jaelin Llewellyn as well as a dunk from Reed Jr. kept the Maize and Blue within striking distance, trailing 14-11 with 13:14 to go before the break.
Illinois (18-6, 9-4 B1G) went on an 8-0 run to take a 22-11 lead by the 10:53 mark. The Wolverines responded by outscoring the Illini 12-5 over the next five minutes -- with eight of the 12 points coming from dunks -- to cut the deficit to 27-23.
At the four-minute mark, Illinois went on a 16-2 run to close the half, taking a 47-29 lead into halftime.
Second Half
Illinois started the second half with a 6-0 run to extend its lead to 24. Then, at the 16:11 mark, the Illini went on another 6-0 run to take a 67-37 lead with just under 15 minutes remaining.
Over the next 10 minutes, Illinois would push its lead as high as 37. With four minutes to play, Williams II scored 10 straight points for Michigan to cut the deficit to 28. Will Tschetter knocked down U-M's only three of the night in the final minutes, and the Wolverines fell, 97-68.
What's Next
The Wolverines will return to Crisler Center on Saturday (Feb. 17) for a game against in-state rival Michigan State. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. and the game will be televised live on FOX.
Notes
• Reed Jr. has posted at least three blocks in three of his last four games. He has a team- and career-best 39 on the season.
• After shooting 3-for-4 from the field and knocking down his only three-point attempt, Tschetter is shooting 62.1 percent from the field (64-for-103) and 59.5 percent (25-for-42) from long-range on the season.
• Freshman George Washington III played a career-best 18 minutes, posting three rebounds, an assist and a steal.
