Michigan got the offense working early in a 62-60 win over Northwestern, led by sophomore shooting guard Jordan Poole. Poole scored nine of the Wolverines’ first 15 points, including a four-point play, all in the first 4:09.

U-M was solid on the defensive end, too, despite losing redshirt junior Charles Matthews in the first two minutes with his first foul.

Sophomore Ignas Brazdeikis’ step back triple at 12:05 gave the Wolverines their first double-digit lead, 22-12.

U-M let the Wildcats hang around with three straight turnovers. Vic Law’s triple cut the lead to seven, and Dererk Pardon scored inside to make it 22-19 and force a Michigan timeout.

Brazdeikis checked in and finally ended a four-plus minute drought with a runner at 7:45. He hit another baseline jumper to push the lead back to seven. Junior point guard Zavier Simpson hit the second of two, half-hook runners to make it 28-21 after Pardon scored inside.

Brazdeikis’ second triple pushed the lead back to 10 at 31-21 and forced a Northwestern timeout.

Pardon singlehandedly kept the Wildcats in the game with 16 first half points. Northwestern’s Law picked up his third foul with 9.2 seconds remaining in the half, and Matthews made one of two free throws before Law hit a long triple from the top at the buzzer to make it 36-30 at the break.

Poole led Michigan with 11 points at the break and Brazdeikis added 10. Simpson notched eight points and three assists.

The Wolverines shot 52 percent to Northwestern’s 46.2.

SECOND HALF

Teske got Michigan on the board first in the second half with a putback of a Brazdeikis missed three. Brazdeikis’ three-point play opened it back up to an 11-point lead.

U-M took its biggest lead on a Brazdeikis putback that made it 43-30, forcing a Wildcats timeout at 17:46.

It was 45-50 when both Matthews and Teske picked up their third fouls, going to the bench at the first TV timeout of the second half.

It made a huge difference.

Ryan Taylor’s contested three from the top cut the lead back to 10, and it was seven after Law finished at the rim, and-one at 13:54. The Wildcats continued the run and cut it to 47-45 after Simpson turned it over on the break, forcing a Michigan timeout.

Simpson finally stopped the bleeding with a drive and finish at 12:15 to put Michigan back up four. Brazdeikis then scored inside after a great defensive stand to push it back to six.

The Wolverines missed three straight triples with a chance to extend the lead. Simpson missed a fourth, and Law cut the lead to 51—49 at 7:20.

Simpson missed yet another triple, and Law hit one from the top to give Northwestern its first lead, 52-51 at 6:30. A.J Turner extened the lead to three with a drive and finish, but Brazdeikis hit a key thee to tie it back up at 5:20.

Sophomore Eli Brooks countered a Pardon two with a long three to give the Wolverines the lead back at 4:35, and the two teams continued to trade buckets.

Poole’s drive and dish to Teske for a dunk make it 60-58 at 2:31, but Taylor tied it with a jumper. Poole then drove the lane for a thunderous dunk to put the Wolverines back up two.

Both teams came up empty before the Wildcats got it back on a turnover with a chance to tie or win down 62-60. Law's desperation triple rimmed off at the buzzer, and U-M survived.

Brazdeikis led Michigan with 23 points. Poole added 15 and Simpson 10, while Teske finished with eight points and 10 rebounds for the 9-0 Wolverines (2-0 Big Ten).

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