INDIANAPOLIS – In an NCAA tournament full of twists, with the top ten teams hitting the entire bracket, Michigan’s No. 1 found a way to survive and move forward.
The Wolverines won a thriller against 8 LSU seed in the second round of the tournament on Monday night, 86-78. Michigan is on Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive time to face the winner of 4 Colorado seeds and 5 Florida State seeds, a game that was still going on when Michigan’s victory bell rang.
Eli Brooks kept the Wolverines in him. Chaundee Brown brought them to the finish line. Each scored 21 points in Michigan’s victory over a nine-point handicap in the first half against Tigers, who have offensive talent.
The Wolverines fell five with 10:38 remaining, after yet another LSU explosion. Michigan responded with a 14-1 run in the next five minutes, including Brown’s 12 points, to take control forever. LSU missed seven consecutive shots during the stretch and never came close to six points.
LSU attempted 17 more shots than Michigan, in part due to making only three spins against 12. LSU had its own dynamic duo: guards Javonte Smart and Cameron Thomas added 57 points combined. They each needed 23 kicks to get there, though, and Michigan’s top defense was the difference in 40 minutes.
Brooks scored 13 in the first half and finished with seven assists. Brown had 14 points in the second. Both are elderly. Franz Wagner added 15 points and seven rebounds for Michigan, while Hunter Dickinson, who saw a double team in most of his posts, scored 12 points and 11 rebounds. Michigan hit 54% of the field and hit 10 out of 25 out of 3.
The Wolverines hit 20 out of 25 free throws. LSU was 18 to 23. The Tigers (19-10) came in with the fifth best attack in the country.
The defensive struggles for Michigan were intriguing to come. Michigan went with Mike Smith at Javonte Smart, Brooks at Thomas, Brandon Johns Jr. at Darius Days, Wagner at Trendon Watford and kept Dickinson close to the basket against the 1.80m Aundre Hyatt, LSU’s least dangerous offensive player . Michigan also showed some zone.
LSU showed its offensive firepower early, with Thomas draining some difficult shots, including a 3 step back that put the Tigers ahead 13-6 before the first media timeout. A quick attack layup by Brooks 3 and Smith reduced the deficit to 15-12.
The Tigers’ fourth 3-pointer made it 24-16 in the middle of the interval. Brooks responded with a 3 to give him eight points.
Dickinson’s second attempt did not take place until 6:43 am, but it was one and one, and the free throw reduced the margin to three. Brooks continued to dominate offensively, draining 3 more, preparing Wagner for a layup and scoring on the edge to cut LSU’s lead to 40-38 with 3:40 by the end of the break and bringing Michigan fans inside Lucas Oil Stadium to life.
LSU missed his last four attempts at 3 points from the break and Michigan, mostly through free throws, made a 7-0 run in the final minutes of time. Thomas hit a jumper just before the break to make Michigan 43-42. The Wolverines hit 57 percent at halftime, but made 11 shots less than LSU, which did not spin.
Michigan made a concerted effort to get the ball to Dickinson early in the second half. He scored once, but then LSU went on an 8-0 run, a stretch that included some unusual Michigan fouls, including Wagner’s second and third fouls, which sent him to the bench. LSU led 51-45. The first twist in the Tigers’ game – in a backward pass, through the legs that left the court – resulted in the first media timeout in the first half.
Michigan responded with the strike. Smith hit a 3. The quick movement of the ball led to a Brooks 3. As simple as that, he was tied. The Wolverines had some momentum. Johns hit some free throws. Brown’s baseline cut resulted in a deafening dunk. Michigan led 55-51.
In the blink of an eye, LSU responded with a 7-0 spurt to regain the lead with 12 minutes remaining. The advantage grew to five, but Michigan responded again. Brown made four free throws and a 3 corner kick as part of a 9-0 run to make 67-63 in Michigan, with 8:47 to go.
Michigan increased his lead to five when the game was interrupted at 7:03 am, while Brooks was on the uncomfortable court. He walked cautiously to the bank. With Brown still at stake, Michigan was fine. His third triple made 72-64 with 5:57 remaining.
Dickinson suffered his fourth foul, on the offensive side, with 4:46 left and was replaced by Austin Davis. Wagner, quiet offensively for much of the night, stepped up, leaning on a running baby hook and getting a 3 to make 79-70 with 3:56 remaining. A free throw from Davis increased the lead to 10.
LSU did not give up. Smith’s pass was intercepted near the middle of the court – the point guard battled LSU’s high guards – and brought the other way to a tray with 2:37 left. In the following inbounds, Smith was arrested and asked for a timeout. The Michigan press break led to an indisputable dunk by Wagner. Two minutes later, the Wolverines (22-4) were celebrating on the court. They will remain in Indianapolis before Sunday’s Sweet 16 game.