Beilein's Bunch Going to New York

John Beilein and the Michigan basketball team improved to 2-0 on the new season with a 76-56 win over the Northeastern Huskies on Wednesday night at Crisler Arena. Manny Harris led all scorers with 26 points and also hauled in 10 rebounds and eight assists. DeShawn Sims finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds.

ANN ARBOR -– Michigan picked up a second straight win to open the 2008-09 season on Wednesday night, a 76-56 win over the Northeastern Huskies to advance to the semifinals of the 2008 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Manny Harris led the Wolverines with 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, just a pair of dimes from the second triple-double in Michigan basketball history.

DeShawn Sims finished with 19 points and seven boards off the Michigan bench. Harris and Sims accounted for 32 of the Wolverines 47 second half points. Sandwiched around six points from freshman Zack Novak, a three-ball plus a perfect 3-for-3 trip to the foul line the next time down the floor, the duo scored 28 straight Michigan points to put the game out of reach.

As a team, the Wolverines finished 25-of-26 from the free throw line.

Michigan jumped in front by the tune of 29-23 through the first 20 minutes. After being held scoreless on their first two possessions, the Wolverines quickly rallied from a 5-0 deficit. Zack Gibson opened Michigan’s scoring with a jumper beyond the free throw line. Manny Harris then hit all three from the charity stripe after being fouled on a three-point shot on Michigan’s next possession.

Matt Janning put the Huskies back on top on their next possession, but that would be their last lead. Stu Douglass hit from three-point land on Michigan’s next possession. David Merritt then sliced through the Northeastern defense for a layup, the first of his seven points in the opening frame.

After a pair of Michigan lay ups the Huskies clawed back within a bucket on a pair of occasions. Manny Adako put in a pair of bunnies to make it 16-14. Michigan answered, though, with a 9-2 run. DeShawn Sims hit on a pair of inside buckets to open the run. Merritt then hit from three-point land, and added a pair of free throws.

The teams then exchanged points; Michigan’s coming on two free throws each from Harris and Jevohn Shepherd. The Wolverines never looked book following the six-point halftime lead.

Stu Douglass opened the Wolverines second half scoring with his second triple of the game. Gibson and Wright then each added a pair before Harris and Sims took control of the game. Sims first points of the half, a bucket that gave Michigan a 38-29 lead with 16:18 to play initiated the run. By the end of the run, a time that spanned almost 14 minutes, Michigan had established a 20-point lead.

Michigan awaits its semifinal opponent from tomorrow nights UCLA Regional final. The tournament semifinal will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thursday November 20.