Michigan Basketball Instant Recap: Wolverines Lose Livers Again, Fade Late

ANN ARBOR, MI — Michigan got junior Isaiah Livers back after a long layoff, and the Wolverines also got off to a really good start. It all fell apart late (again) in a 64-62 loss to Illinois.

U-M’s early attack — go right at 7-1 center Kofi Cockburn with senior Jon Teske. Teske scored four early points and drew a foul on the big guy. Other good signs included freshman wing Franz Wagner hitting his first three-pointer (though he missed his next two) and Livers active on the glass early.

Michigan took a 9-6 lead into the first TV timeout, but Ayo Donsunmu tied it with a triple, and Trent Frazier gave the Illini their first lead at 12-10 on a 27-foot triple from the top. Frazier hit another from 25 feet to expand the lead to 15-10. Wagner’s drive and finish ended Illinois’ run, but U-M was ice cold in the first nine minutes. The Wolverines were 4-for-16 from the floor, 1-for-7 from long range with Wagner 1-for-5.

Illinois took its biggest lead on a three-point play and a jumper by Donsunmu, pushing it to 22-14 and forcing a Michigan timeout.

The Wolverines simply couldn’t score. They were stuck on 14 until Brooks drove and finished to make it 22-14 at 6:00.

The two teams finally started to make some shots. U-M continued to struggle from long range, but scored inside, including four from Simpson near the end of the half. The crowd came to life when his transition drive and finish ended with a lay-up that cut the lead to 32-29. The Wolverines made their last six shots of the half, in fact, but Illinois made four of five to take a 34-30 lead into the half.

The Wolverines shot 35.5 percent in the first half to Illinois’ 48.1 percent and made only one of 11 triples to the Illini’s 3-for-6. Simpson finished with 11 points and Teske added seven, but U-M had zero assists in the first half.

SECOND HALF

Michigan gave up big man Kofi Cockburn’s first two points to start the second half, but got back to within three on Wagner’s drive and finish, and-one. They were within two on Simpson’s baseline drive and reverse finish at the 18-minute mark.

The crowd went nuts when Livers tripled in transition to give Michigan its first lead since 5-2. Wagner’s drive and finish, and-one, pushed it to 41-39.

The turning point came at 15:34. Livers was fouled on a transition dunk, came down awkwardly and appeared to reinjure the groin that kept him out 4 ½ weeks. He made two free throws before being replaced by sophomore Brandon Johns and wouldn't play again.

Dosunmu then took over for the Illini. He hit two long triples, and the Wolverines were quickly down 52-47 at 11:21. But the Wolverines battled back. The tied it at 52 on a Simpson finish in transition and took the lead back, 55-54, on Teske’s first triple in four attempts.

Sophomore shooting guard David DeJulius’ first triple, a bomb at 4:40, put U-M up 60-58 headed down the stretch. Simpson missed two free throws, and Dosunmu scored his 2th and 25th points on a finish at the other end. DeJulius hit a runner, and U-M was up 62-60 with Austin Davis at the line at 1:44. Davis missed the front end of a one-and-one, U-M's third straight miss at the line.

Dosunmu missed with 1:20 remaining, and Cockburn fouled out grabbing Wagner on the rebound. Wagner, however, missed two more free throws to keep the door wide open, and Frazier's two free throws after a questionable foul call tied it. Teske then missed inside, and Illinois had the ball with 24.6 seconds left and a chance to win. Dosunmu came up big, hitting a jumper over Simpson with .5 seconds remaining to win it.

Michigan dropped to 2-6 in the conference and second to last in the Big Ten standings. Simpson scored 17, Teske 12 and Wagner 12 for the Wolverines.

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