Michigan women end UNLV’s 22-game win streak in first round

Associated PressMar 17, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

BATON ROUGE, La. – Emily Kiser had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Maddie Nolan added 18 points, and sixth-seeded Michigan beat 11th-seeded UNLV 71-59 on Friday in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament, snapping the Rebels’ 22-game winning streak.

Leigha Brown scored 17 points for Michigan (23-9), which had lost three of its previous four games. The Wolverines used their advantages in size and physicality to build and keep a double-digit lead for much of their opening game in the Greenville 2 region.

Guard Laila Phelia, wearing a brace on her left knee and playing in her just her third game since missing seven with a leg injury, exerted her influence on the game defensively, grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds to go with her eight points – less than half of her scoring average of 16.9.

The Wolverines will face either third-seeded LSU or 14th-seeded Hawaii in the second round.

UNLV (31-3) came up one short of the longest winning streak in program history. Its Mountain West Tournament title victory had tied a mark reached previously in the 1978-79 and 1989-90 seasons.

The Rebels came in unbeaten (27-0) when scoring 69 or more points – a total they could not reach against a Michigan team that outrebounded them 41-31.

Essence Booker scored 16 points for UNLV, while Justice Ethridge and Desi-Rae Young each scored 11.

Michigan took the lead for good when Phelia’s offensive rebound set up Brown’s second-chance layup to make it 9-7 in the first quarter.

The Wolverines led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter before Kenadee Winfrey and Ethridge each hit 3s during an 8-0 run that helped UNLV get as close as five points.

Michigan led 28-20 at halftime. The Wolverines took a 17-point lead when Kiser scored eight points on a free throw, two layups and a 3 during a 12-0 run that made it 48-31 late in the third period. UNLV only got as close as nine points after that.

BIG PICTURE

UNLV: Shot 28% (7 of 25) from 3-point range, well below its season-long average of 33.8% coming in. … Shot 38% (23 of 60) overall, also well below its 46.3% average for the season.

Michigan: Converted 12 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points. … Finished with a 20-14 advantage in points off turnovers.

Rutgers pulls away in 2nd half vs. frigid-shooting Michigan

Associated PressMar 10, 2023, 12:37 AM EST

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO – Cam Spencer and Derek Simpson scored 23 of their combined 31 points in the second half and Rutgers beat Michigan 62-50 on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Spencer scored 18 points and Simpson 13 for the ninth-seeded Scarlet Knights (19-13), who rebounded to shoot 52% in the second half after a 29% first half. They will play top-seed Purdue in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Hunter Dickinson scored 24 points for eighth-seeded Michigan (17-15), which had just one second-half field goal until the final minute.

Trailing by three at halftime, Rutgers opened the second half on a 12-3 run and midway through scored 12 straight points to lead by 13 with just under six minutes remaining. The lead grew to 16 with two minutes to go.

The Wolverines, who shot 48% in the first half, had only four field goals in the second. The first two were 3-pointers by Dickinson – the second with 59 seconds left – that came 14 minutes apart. Michigan finished the second half 4 of 21 for 19%.

Dickinson scored 13 points in the first half when Michigan took a 28-25 lead. The Wolverines scored the first seven points while the Scarlet Knights were missing their first seven shots. Rutgers rallied to take a lead late in the half with an 8-0 run. Dickinson had a bucket and Joey Baker a 3-pointer to regain the lead.

Michigan beat Rutgers 58-45 in the regular season and leads the all-time series 16-2.

Zach Edey is AP Big Ten Player of the Year; Painter, Collins honored

Associated PressMar 7, 2023, 5:33 PM EST

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue’s Zach Edey is The Associated Press player of the year in the Big Ten Conference and the Boilermakers’ Matt Painter and Northwestern’s Chris Collins split coach of the year honors.

Edey received all but one vote for player of the year in balloting by 14 journalists who cover the conference. Maryland’s Jahmir Young beat out Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino for newcomer of the year.

Edey and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis were unanimous selections to the AP All-Big Ten first team.

The 7-foot-4, 305-pound Edey led the Boilermakers to their first outright Big Ten regular-season championship since 2017. He goes into the conference tournament averaging 21.9 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game and is on track to become the first player since Navy’s David Robinson in 1985-86 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season.

Edey’s nine games of 25 points and 10 rebounds are the most for a major-college player since 2006-07, and he’s on pace to become the first Big Ten player in over 50 years to average 22 points and 13 rebounds per game in a season.

Jackson-Davis averages 20.5 points 11 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game and joins Edey as the only high-major players to average at least 20, 11 and 2. Jackson-Davis is on the first team for the second time in three years. He was on the second team last season.

Joining Edey and Jackson-Davis on the first team are Northwestern’s Boo Buie, Penn State’s Jalen Pickett and Iowa’s Kris Murray.

Young, in his first season at Maryland after playing his first three at Charlotte, leads the Terrapins with 16.3 points per game. He has nine games with at least 20 points, including 30 in a win over Ohio State, and his 37 steals lead the team.

Painter has won at least 25 games in 11 of his 18 seasons at Purdue, which is in contention for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers were the favorites in the preseason media poll, and they spent all but three days of the conference season tied or in sole possession of first place.

Collins shares coach of the year after leading Northwestern to a tie for second place after being picked 13th. With Buie running the point, the Wildcats (21-10, 12-8) have their first overall and conference winning records since Collins’ 2016-17 team won a game in the NCAA Tournament.

FIRST TEAM

Guard – Boo Buie, Northwestern, Sr., 6-2, 180, Albany, New York.

Guard – Jalen Pickett, Penn State, Sr., 6-4, 209, Rochester, New York.

u-Forward – Trayce Jackson-Davis, Sr., 6-9, 245, Greenwood, Indiana.

Forward – Kris Murray, Iowa, Jr., 6-8, 220, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

u-Center – Zach Edey, Purdue, Jr., 7-4, 305, Toronto.

-“u” denotes unanimous selection.

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SECOND TEAM

Guard – Jahmir Young, Maryland, Gr., 6-1, 185, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Guard – Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana, Fr., 6-6, 213, Pittsburgh.

Guard – Terrence Shannon, Illinois, Sr., 6-6, 225, Chicago.

Center – Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers, Jr., 6-11, 240, Benin City, Nigeria.

Center – Hunter Dickinson, Michigan, Jr., 7-1, 260, Alexandria, Virginia.

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Coach of the year (tie) – Matt Painter, Purdue, and Chris Collins, Northwestern.

Player of the year – Zach Edey, Purdue.

Newcomer of the year – Jahmir Young, Maryland.

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AP All-Big Ten Voting Panel: Nick Bahe, Fox Sports; Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News, Fox Sports; Dave Eanet, WGN Radio, Chicago; Brian Fonseca, New Jersey Advance Media; Marcus Fuller, Minneapolis Star Tribune; Adam Jardy, Columbus Dispatch; Stephen Jones, Penn State Sports Network; Andrew Kahn, MLive.com (Ann Arbor, Mich.); Ryan McFadden, Baltimore Sun; Zach Osterman, Indianapolis Star; Jim Polzin, Madison.com (Madison, Wis.); Scott Richey, Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette; Dylan Sinn, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette; Kennington Lloyd Smith III, Des Moines (Iowa) Register.

Michigan trails early, pulls away from Rutgers for 58-45 win

Associated PressFeb 24, 2023, 12:09 AM EST

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Dug McDaniel scored 16 points and had five steals as Michigan rallied from an early 10-point deficit to earn a 58-45 win over Rutgers on Thursday night.

The win lifts the Wolverines into a three-way tie with Maryland and No. 17 Indiana for third place in the Big Ten Conference with three games left in the regular season. The top four finishers earn a bye into the conference quarterfinals.

Michigan was without Jett Howard, who averages just under 15 points per game, and the Wolverines managed just a McDaniel 3-pointer over the first six minutes while the Scarlet Knights opened a 13-3 lead. Hunter Dickinson hit a jumper and dunked, and Kobe Bufkin knocked down a 3 and scored at the basket to get Michigan within one, 13-12 with 9:13 left. Dickinson hit a jumper to put the Wolverines in front, and Joey Baker hit a 3 with 2:12 left for a 25-21 lead and they held a 26-23 advantage at intermission.

Rutgers got within a possession several times in the second half, but Michigan closed the game on a 10-3 run.

Bufkin finished with 14 points with three steals and three assists for Michigan (16-12, 10-7). Dickinson posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Cam Spencer paced Rutgers (17-11, 9-8) with 11 points and seven rebounds. Clifford Omoruyi had 10 points and 10 boards.

Michigan plays host to Wisconsin on Sunday. Rutgers plays at Penn State Sunday.

Michigan wins third straight, 93-72 over Nebraska

Associated PressFeb 10, 2023, 11:31 AM EST

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Jett Howard made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points, Hunter Dickinson had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Michigan beat Nebraska 93-72 on Wednesday night.

Nebraska, which trailed by 24 points in the first half, got within 48-39 early in the second half – the closest margin since 21-12. But Dickinson answered with a basket to put Michigan ahead by double digits for the rest of the game.

Howard made four 3-pointers in the second half and scored 16 points, and Dickinson added 14 points. Michigan led for over 36 minutes and shot 57.6% from the field, including 14 of 26 from 3-point range.

Dug McDaniel added 14 points, Kobe Bufkin had 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists for Michigan (14-10, 8-5 Big Ten). Joey Baker added 11 points and Terrance Williams II scored 10.

Michigan scored 14 unanswered points in the first half and later extended it to 41-17 after a 16-2 run, capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Baker. Nebraska rallied to get within 46-34 at the break after closing on a 17-5 run.

Keisei Tominaga scored 24 points and Derrick Walker had 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for Nebraska (11-14, 4-10). Tominaga scored 13 of Nebraska’s opening 27 points.

Michigan looks for its fourth straight win on Saturday against No. 18 Indiana. Nebraska goes for its second win in seven games when it hosts Wisconsin on Saturday.

Zach Edey has 19 points, No. 1 Purdue beats Michigan 75-70

Associated PressJan 27, 2023, 12:44 AM EST

Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Zach Edey had 15 of his 19 points in the first half and Fletcher Loyer finished with 17 points to help No. 1 Purdue hold off Michigan 75-70 on Thursday night.

The Boilermakers (20-1, 9-1 Big Ten) had a 15-0 run to go ahead 41-28 lead in the first half after there were 10 lead changes and four ties, but they couldn’t pull away.

The Wolverines (11-9, 5-4) were without standout freshman Jett Howard, who missed the game with an ankle injury, and still hung around until the final seconds.

Joey Baker made a 3-pointer – off the glass – with 5.9 seconds left to pull Michigan within three points, but Purdue’s Brandon Newman sealed the victory with two free throws.

Purdue coach Matt Painter said Michigan slowed down Edey in the second half by pushing him away from the basket.

“They got him out a little more, and got him bottled up,” Painter said.

The 7-foot-4 Edey, though, was too tough to stop early in the game.

“He’s one of the best in the country for a reason,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said. “He’s very effective, especially if he’s 8 feet and in.”

With size and skills such as a hook shot, the junior center from Toronto scored Purdue’s first seven points and finished the first half 7 of 12 from the field and 1 of 2 at the line.

“He did a great job in the first half, going to his right shoulder and using his left hand,” Painter said. “He made four baskets with his left hand which is huge.”

Freshman Braden Smith had 10 points for the Boilermakers.

Purdue’s defense ultimately denied Michigan’s comeback hopes, holding a 22nd straight opponent to 70 or fewer points.

Hunter Dickinson scored 21, Kobe Bufkin had 16 points and Baker added 11 points for the Wolverines, who have lost four of their last six games.

Dickinson, a 7-1 center, matched up with Edey defensively and pulled him out of the lane offensively by making 3 of 7 3-pointers.

“Half his shots were from the 3, and that’s a little different,” Painter said. “His meat and potatoes are on that block. He’s the real deal.”

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The Boilermakers got the top spot in the AP Top 25 this week after winning six games, a stretch that followed a loss to Rutgers on Jan. 3 that dropped them from No. 1 in the poll. Purdue improved to 7-2 as the top-ranked team.

BIG PICTURE

Purdue: Edey can’t beat teams by himself and he’s surrounded by a lot of role players and a potential standout in Loyer. The 6-4 guard was the Big Ten player of the week earlier this month, become the first Boilermaker freshman to win the award since Robbie Hummel in 2008.

“Fletcher is somebody who has played better in the second half, and on the road,” Painter said.

Michigan: Jett Howard’s health is a critical factor for the Wolverines, who will have some work to do over the second half of the Big Ten season to avoid missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Howard averages 14.6 points and is the most dynamic player on his father’s team.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Boilermakers were away from home for 12 of 23 days, winning all five of their road games. They won at Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan for the first time since the 1997-98 season and beat the Spartans and Wolverines on their home court in the same season for the first time in 12 years.

UP NEXT

Purdue: Hosts Michigan State on Sunday, nearly two weeks after the Boilermakers beat the Spartans by a point on Edey’s shot with 2.2 seconds left.

Michigan: Plays at Penn State on Sunday.