Men's Basketball

Jan. 14, 2017

• Box Score | Photo Gallery 
• Postgame Report | Beilein Press Conference

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: Michigan 91, Nebraska 85
Records: U-M (12-6, 2-3 B1G), NEB (9-8, 3-2 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, Jan. 17 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 8 p.m. CST [ TV: ESPN ]

• Kornacki Postgame Feature: Walton Unlocks His Talent against Nebraska

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball led wire to wire -- the majority of the game by single digits -- eventually edging Nebraska, 91-85, to move to 2-3 in Big Ten play on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 14) inside Crisler Center. U-M hit the 90-point mark for the third time this season and first time in five Big Ten games.

Three Wolverines finished with 20 or more points, led by Moritz Wagner, who posted a career-high 23 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including a career-high four three-pointers. Zak Irvin matched his jersey number with 21 points, including 15 in the second half and a perfect 7-for-7 performance from the free throw line, and also added seven assists. Derrick Walton Jr. scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half, going 5-for-6 from the field, including 3-for-3 from long range.

Overall, Michigan shot 50 percent or better from the field (27-for-50, 54 percent) and three-point range (11-for-22, 50 percent). The Wolverines got 26 of their 91 points from the free throw line, shooting 87 percent (26-for-30), while Nebraska's chances at the charity stripe were limited -- 4-for-5. U-M continues to lead the nation in fewest turnover per game, with just 10 today, committing 10 or less for the 14th time this season.

The Wolverines built a steady lead over the first six minutes of the game, highlighted by a four-point play from Walton after he was fouled on a three-point attempt, and U-M led, 15-8, with 13:56 remaining. The two teams traded baskets until Irvin and Wagner converted consecutive layups to give Michigan its largest lead of the first half, 24-16, at 9:26.

U-M maintained an eight-point advantage, highlighted by a monster dunk from Wagner, until the Cornhuskers scored six unanswered points to pull within two, 30-28, with 4:45 left in the opening half. Wagner scored five of U-M's final eight points of the half to help the Maize and Blue take a 40-36 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Wagner's Dunk

Looks like @moritz_weasley took out some frustration on this @umichbball slam.  https://t.co/oREPByzS1T

-- Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) January 14, 2017

Nine of Michigan's first 13 points of the second half came from beyond the arc, including two triples from Wagner, and the Wolverines took their largest lead of the game, 53-43, with 15:51 left to play.

Nebraska then went on an 11-5 run, with nine of those points coming on three-pointers, and the Huskers cut their deficit to three points, 59-56, at the 11:51 mark. With the Wolverines still leading by three, 66-63, Walton caught fire, scoring 13 points in five-and-a-half minutes to give Michigan an 80-73 lead with just 1:54 to go.

The Cornhuskers came within four points, 80-76, on a three-pointer from Glynn Watson Jr. with 1:34 to go, but they were forced to foul down the stretch, and U-M went 9-for-10 from the charity stripe in the final minute to preserve the win, 91-85.

Nebraska also had two players reach the 20-point mark, as Watson and Tai Webster posted 22 and 28 points, respectively.

Tweet of the Game

HAIL!! #GoBlue #HTTV pic.twitter.com/0cjKPXDPhv

-- Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) January 14, 2017

The Wolverines will have a quick turnaround before they travel to Madison, Wisconsin, to take on the Badgers on Tuesday (Jan. 17) at 8 p.m. CST inside the Kohl Center. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.

Communications Contact: Tom Wywrot