ANN ARBOR — Jordan Poole missed a five-foot floater to open Michigan’s game with Maryland; Zavier Simpson made a triple to open the scoring. That’s how it went for the Wolverines in the early going of a 65-52 win over Maryland, and how it would continue.
Michigan struggled to shoot but got just enough offense and plenty of great defense to pull out another win.
U-M ran out to a 10-2 lead behind a triple from freshman Ignas Brazdeikis and four points from redshirt junior Charles Matthews, who continued to play well. The Wolverines got the transition game going, too, in running out to a 16-4 lead, six of the points coming on the break.
It was 21-6 when sophomore Isaiah Livers tripled and Matthews scored again in transition following a Livers steal.
The Terrapins couldn’t get anything going offensively. Every shot was contested when they did get to the rim, and point guard Anthony Cowan was a no-show in the first 13 minutes before hitting a jumper at 6:55.
Michigan, though, couldn’t extend the lead. Both Simpson and Matthews went to the bench with two fouls — freshman David DeJulius scored on a nice drive and finish, but the Wolverines gave up a pair of triples to the Terps to let them right back in the game, 25-16 at 3:40
Livers slowed the Terrapins’ momentum with a turnaround jumper in the lane, but the offense continued to struggle. Michigan finished the half at 38 percent from the floor and up only 27-18, having made only three of 15 triples despite getting several open looks.
Matthews led Michigan with eight points, while Livers added seven. Terps big man Fernando Bruno was held scoreless in the first half.
SECOND HALF
Maryland’s Bruno Fernando scored his first points on a short half hook in the lane to counter two Poole free throws, and the Wolverines’ shooting woes continued with a pair of three-point misses from Brazdeikis and Matthews.
Cowan tripled at 18:05, and it was game on. He hit a second triple after a Teske dunk to cut it to seven, but Brazdeikis finally answered with a wide-open three.
Matthews took on the responsibility of guarding Cowan, but Fernando continued to dominate inside. He scored eight points in the first seven minutes, taking the ball right at Teske, and the Terrapins cut it to six with 11:25 remaining.
Serrel Smith’s triple cut it to 42-39, and Maryland had all the momentum. They kept it when Teske missed yet another triple, his eighth miss in nine shots and fifth straight brick from long range.
The Terps had a chance to tie, but Cowan missed a corner three. Poole finished coast to coast in transition and Simpson tripled after a stop to make it 47-39 at 8:41.
The turning point came at 6:50. Aaron Wiggins tripled to cut it to five, but Cowan missed a layup. Brazdeikis tripled in transition, and just like that it was an eight-point game again.
Livers had a chance to extend the lead, but he missed a wide open three from the corner with six minutes remaining.
U-M finally started to pull away. Teske scored four straight on dunks in the paint, and when Maryland answered with a putback, Teske finally hit his first triple in seven attempts to give the Wolverines a comfortable 11-point lead.
U-M closed it out with Simpson hitting a patented hook and free throws down the stretch.
Matthews led Michigan with 14 points, Brazdeikis had 13 and Simpson 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the win.
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