INSTANT RECAP: Indiana 63, Michigan 52
Indiana made denying Michigan sophomore Nik Stauskas the ball a priority early, and it led to U-M's slow start in a 63-52 loss. Stauskas, guarded by small but quick Yogi Ferrell, couldn't get the ball in the first three minutes in a trend that continued - Michigan didn't score until a Jordan Morgan putback at 17:00 after missing two jumpers and turning it over.
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Sophomore Caris LeVert was the bulk of the offense early, but he struggled, missing two short jumpers and turning it over on a travel. Stauskas finally got his first shot at 15:46 and was fouled just before the first TV timeout, making both free throws to cut a 5-2 Indiana lead to one.
Three free throws from Derrick Walton, Jr. tied it at 7-7, but another turnover by LeVert led to a Hoosiers triple at the other end. The Wolverines continued to struggle on offense. LeVert and Stauskas missed tripled, with Stauskas missing a two-point jumper in between, before LeVert finished in transition.
Still, the Wolverines only had 11 points at the 11:00 mark - but a one-point lead.
Irvin finished in transition to make it 13-10 at 10:08, forcing an Indiana timeout. Ferrell tied it with a triple at 9:30.
Morgan's work on the offensive glass - he had four in the first 11 minutes on six total - helped the Wolverines. His fourth led to three more Walton free throws when he was fouled again on a three-pointer, giving U-M a 16-13 lead. Ferrell again countered with Albrecht's hand in his face to tie it, starting a 7-0 run before Walton countered with a jumper to end it.
Robison III struggled with two turnovers in trying to force the action, but he finally scored inside at 4:50. Morgan, meanwhile, continued his strong work on the boards. He finished with nine in the half.
Stauskas struggled for the remainder of the half. He took Ferrell inside but failed to finish a short jumper, settling for four points in the half and picking up a charge on U-M's last possession of the half, allowing the Hoosiers to go in with a 25-22 lead.
Michigan didn't make a three in the first half, though Walton's long jumper appeared to be behind the line.
Walton led Michigan with eight points. Stauskas and Irvin added four each, while Ferrell hit four triples to lead the Hoosiers with 12 points. U-M turned it over eight times, continuing recent turnover woes.
SECOND HALF
LeVert made an impact early in the second half, answering a Noah Vonleh score inside with a drive and short jumper and stealing to set up Walton for two in transition to make it a one-point game.
LeVert set up Walton for a triple that tied it at 29 with 16:39 remaining, Michigan's first three of the day. Ferrell answered it again with another triple following an offensive rebound, sparking an 8-2 run that ended on a Robinson step through finish. IU continued to work the glass for extra possessions, though, racking up four early in the second half.
Ferrell's sixth three in seven attempts made it 40-33 at 11:20, forcing a Michigan timeout. Irvin came up with a huge triple to cut it to four, but Ferrell hit yet another three to push it back to seven. U-M made a mini-run to cut it back to four, but the Hoosiers scored the next four to push it to eight, their biggest lead, with 7:45 remaining.
LeVert gave Michigan life with a long triple at 7:00. Robinson, though, continued to struggle, missing another jumper before Ferrell countered with two more free throws at the other end.
Michigan's offense never got on track. Stauskas missed a forced, 25-footer before Morgan made one of two free throws to cut it to six with 5:30 remaining, after which U-M went to its 1-3-1 defense for the first time. Will Sheehey hit a running floater with no time on the shot clock to push the lead back to eight before LeVert countered with a drive and finish. Irvin then took a charge to give the Wolverines the ball back. Stauskas cut it to four with two free throws at 4:04.
IU missed the front end of a one-and-one, but LeVert jacked a poor three at 3:30. IU missed again, but Stauskas missed a finish and Evan Gordon hit his at 2:20 to push the lead back to six. Morgan then missed the front end of a one-and-one and it was dire, even worse when Robinson missed the front end of another one at 1:40.
Robinson's three-point play cut it to 56-52 at 1:22, but IU ripped off the next seven to clinch it.
Michigan shot only 40 percent from the field and made only three of 13 triples, managing only eight assists. Walton led U-M scorers with 13, LeVert notched 12, Robinson nine, Irvin seven and Stauskas only six. Morgan finished with 10 rebounds.