Michigan Basketball: Wolverines getting hot at the right time

By Stuart Gill | Feb 8, 2017

Mar 18, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. (10) drives to the basket against Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Steve Vasturia (32) in the first half in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan basketball dominated their rival Michigan State by handing them a 29-point loss in Ann Arbor.

Michigan knocked off their rival Michigan State Spartans, 86-57, on Tuesday evening in Ann Arbor.

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The Wolverines finished the first half on a tear to take a commanding 55-29 lead over Tom Izzo’s Spartans of Michigan State. Despite the uncharacteristically high first half point total, Coach John Beilein said that it was Michigan’s defense that made a difference from the opening minutes.

“We came out an angry team,” Beilein said. “Our offense was great, but it was more about our defense. We did a great job against a really good team with a great plan.”

Michigan’s stingy, disciplined effort on the defensive end was good enough for six steals while forcing the Spartans into 21 total turnovers. Locking down defensively gave Michigan more chances to score, and it also boosted the confidence of a Wolverines squad that has shown flashes of greatness as they attempt to return to prominence in the Big Ten.

Coach Beilein also praised the work and leadership of point guard Derrick Walton Jr.

“I have seen him grow so much over time, but all of a sudden there’s a spike [in his growth] right now. He’s deferred a lot to the other great players we’ve had over the [years]. Now, he understands [he] might be the best player on this team.”

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Beilein also pointed out Walton’s 1000 career points, 400 rebounds and 400 assists are records held only by Michigan greats Jalen Rose and Gary Grant. Walton finished the game with 20 points, five rebounds, and eight assists.

Moritz Wagner scored 19 points to spark the huge offensive output for Michigan in the game’s first 20 minutes. He also grabbed six rebounds on the night. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman chipped in 16 points.

The Wolverine defense limited Michigan State to 48 percent shooting, 5-of-16 3-point attempts, and 10 assists in the contest. Miles Bridges finished with 15 points and five rebounds while Nick Ward chipped in 13 and came three rebounds short of a double-double. But overall, the Spartan offense lacked consistency and fluidity. They were totally taken out of their element by Michigan’s intense pressure.

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Michigan now sits at 7th in the Big Ten with a 5-6 conference record. Two of their last seven matchups feature top-25 teams in Wisconsin and Purdue. Should they win at least the majority of their remaining contests, they will stand a good chance of finishing among the top five teams in the conference with a good shot at making a run in the Big Ten Tournament. That in turn will help them achieve their ultimate goal: a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

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