WKU Men’s Basketball’s staple fast-paced, efficient offense was nowhere to be found on the court of the Crisler Center Sunday night as the Hilltoppers fell at Michigan 112-64.
Each of the nine Wolverines who played before the 7:48 mark in the second half had at least six points. Michigan shot 48% from three and 52% from the field, led by center Vladislav Goldin and guard Nimari Burnett, both scoring 17.
The Hilltoppers couldn’t consistently respond, shooting just 20% from three and 36% from the field. Senior guard Don McHenry led the team with 14 but only scored two in the second half.
The Wolverines dominated the Hilltoppers in rebounds as well, with 54 compared to the Hilltoppers’ 27. Both teams scored 21 points off turnovers. WKU gave up the ball 14 times while Michigan gave it up 17 times.
WKU will start Conference USA play next, traveling to Liberty on Thursday, Jan. 2.
First Half
The Wolverines led the Hilltoppers 10-2 at the first media timeout. Braxton Bayless scored the Hilltoppers’ only points.
The Wolverines extended their lead to 18-9 at the second media timeout. McHenry led the Hilltoppers with three points with 15 minutes remaining in the half.
With 11:25 left in the half, the Wolverines held a 28-16 lead. The Hilltoppers struggled shooting, hitting just 40% from the field and 25% from three.
At the eight-minute media timeout, the Wolverines led 36-20, capitalizing on the Hilltoppers’ rebounding struggles. The Wolverines grabbed 18 rebounds compared to the Hilltoppers’ five.
The Wolverines stretched their lead to 49-27 heading into the three-minute media timeout. The Hilltoppers failed to score in the two minutes leading to the break, missing their last six field goals while the Wolverines hit on four of their last five shots.
The Hilltoppers ended the half trailing 59-31. McHenry led WKU with 13 points, but the rest of the team struggled, shooting 36% from the field and 23% from three.
Second Half
At the 15-minute media timeout, the Wolverines led 72-37. Goldin dominated with 17 points, hitting seven of his eight field goal attempts. By 14:50, every Wolverine who played had made a three-pointer.
At the 12-minute media timeout, the Wolverines led 81-44 after going on a 6-0 run. The Hilltoppers shot just 16% from three and 36% from the field and had not made a three-pointer in the second half.
With nine minutes remaining, McHenry scored his first points of the half on a free throw.
The Wolverines held a commanding 94-52 lead at the eight-minute media timeout.
Michigan surpassed 100 points with six minutes left on a Danny Wolf three-pointer, stretching the lead to 102-52. At the final media timeout, the Wolverines led 103-59 despite going scoreless for the previous 2:45.
Michigan rode the rest of the clock to a 112-64 victory.
Sports Reporter Nathan Mueller can be reached at [email protected].
