Duke Downs Michigan 71-56

The Michigan basketball team dropped its first game of the new season falling to No. 5 Duke on Friday night at Madison Square Garden in New York. Michigan was led by Manny Harris' 25 points, but the Wolverines never led as Duke fought to a 15-point 71-56 win. DeShawn Sims was the only other Wolverine to score in double figures.

NEW YORK -- The Wolverines unsuspecting run at the 2K Sports Classic came to a sudden halt on Friday night at Madison Square Garden in New York. Michigan got 25 points from sophomore Manny Harris, but the Wolverines never once held a lead as No. 5-ranked Duke sent the Wolverines packing with their first loss of the season.

The Maize and Blue played Duke tight in the first half, the Blue Devils holding a lead of just two points, 17-15, nine minutes into the contest, but an 8-0 surge by Duke put the game out of reach. Nolan Smith and Elliot Williams had two buckets each in the games pivotal stretch.

"I wish we would have made some shots earlier and we'd have made a better game of it," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "We have a couple guys in a funk and we have to get them out of it. When we do that, I think you will see a better team than what you saw in the second half."

Anthony Wright connected on a three-ball and and Zach Gibson flushed home a dunk late in the first half to get Michigan back within six, but they got no closer.

Duke opened the second half with an 8-2 surge to blow the game open and give Duke an insurmountable 47-33 lead. The lead wouldn't get much bigger as the teams exchanged buckets over the final 10 minutes of the contest. The final score held a 15-point difference between the two teams, a 71-56 Duke win.

Michigan was led by Manny Harris who finished with 25 points. DeShawn Sims was the other lone Wolverines player to score in double-digits with 10 points.

The Wolverines will meet Duke one more time before the end of the current season. The Blue Devils trip to Ann Arbor for a key non-conference clash scheduled for December 6.