Michigan’s Jordan Poole was aggressive from the start in U-M’s 63-44 win over Norfolk State. He notched two quick assists and two free throws and the Wolverines ripped off the first 11 points.
Michigan played through the sophomore shooting guard early, and it paid off. Sophomore Eli Brooks’ triple made it 9-0 Michigan at the 15-minute mark
It was 11-0 at the 12:40 mark when the Spartans finally scored on a free throw line bank. The Wolverines had 14 shots to nine at 11:48 but only 11 points, shooting 28.6 from both the field and the free throw line, where they were 2-for-7.
Livers made U-M’s second triple and freshman Ignas Brazdeikis followed with his first career three-pointer to make it 17-2 at 10:38 and force a Norfolk State timeout.
Livers’ second triple made it 23-4. The Spartans came out in zone deense at the eight-minute timeout, but Matthews drove baseline and finish to push the lead to 22 points.
That’s when U-M went cold. The Wolverines finished the half shooting 12-for-33 from the floor (36.4 percent), 4-for-14 from three-point range (28.6) and only 4-for-13 from the free throw line (30.8).
Norfolk State, though, made only six of 25 shots and didn't make any of its triples (0-for-4).
Junior center Jon Teske, playing much more aggressively than he did in the exhibition win over Northwood last week, dunked on a pass from Brooks to close the first half scoring. He led Michigan with nine first half points and added six rebounds.
Matthews and Livers added six points each for the Wolverines.
SECOND HALF
Teske opened the scoring inside to push the lead back to 21 points, but he picked up his second foul on a questionable call. He followed with a block that led to a Zavier Simpson triple at the other end and U-M’s biggest lead, 37-13.
Simpson attacked the zone to find Matthews after four straight NSU points top push the lead back to 22, and it was 24 after Matthews scored on a short jumper inside.
The Spartans didn’t go away. They hit a pair of long triples, and a drive and lay-in by C.J. Kelly cut it to 18 at the 13-minute mark.
U-M responded with five straight to go back up 23, and went back up 24 on a finish by redshirt sophomore Austin Davis and a free throw by Simpson. Two Brazdeikis free throws and a Livers jumper pushed it to a game high 28-point lead, 55-27, at the 9:00 mark.
U-M went cold again, and a 9-2 NSU run made it 58-36 at 5:30.
Brazdeikis made two free throws and a nifty, spinning lay-up to open it back up. U-M was sloppy down the stretch but emptied the bench and won by 19.
Teske finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, Brazdeikis had 12 and Matthews added 10. It was head coach John Beilein's 800th career win.
The Wolverines shot 36.1 percent from the floor, 23.1 percent from long range and 44.8 percent (13-of-29) from the free throw line.
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