Michigan Outguns LSU, Advances To 4th Consecutive Sweet 16

Juwan Howard and his Michigan Wolverines are on to the Sweet 16 after defeating the LSU Tigers by eight in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In a NCAA tournament that’s been rife with upsets, Michigan outgunned LSU on Monday night, 86-78, to advance to their fourth consecutive Sweet 16, and their sixth trip to the tournament’s second weekend in an eight-year stretch.

The Wolverines, top seed in the East region, received the full arsenal of weaponry the 8-seeded Tigers had to offer, but were led to victory by stellar play from Eli Brooks and Chaundee Brown, who combined to score 42 points for the Maize and Blue.

LSU got off to a hot start, knocking down a trio of early three-pointers to take a 13-6 lead at the first media timeout. The Tigers kept it rolling behind the shooting of freshman Cameron Thomas, who opened the game 5-of-6 from the floor for 12 points in the opening 8 minutes.

Juwan Howard took a timeout with 12:13 on the clock, with LSU leading 19-12.

Eli Brooks kept Michigan alive with his shooting, knocking down 3-of-4 attempts for 8 quick points, and helping the Wolverines cut their deficit to 24-19 with just under 9 minutes left in the half.

With a boost off the bench offensively and defensively from Chaundee Brown, Michigan was able to outscore LSU 24-28 to close the half. Brown scored 7 points on 3-of-5 shooting in the first frame.

Thomas led all scorers with 19 points for the Tigers in the half, while Eli Brooks led Michigan with 13 points and 4 assists. The Wolverines led 43-42 as the teams headed to the locker room.

The second half started with both teams throwing haymakers at one another. LSU opened with a 9-2 run, which Michigan responded to with a 10-0 run. The Tigers counterpunched with a 12-3 run to take a 63-58 lead with 10:46 left to play.

But the Wolverines weren’t rattled. Relying on their defense, which has been good all season long, Michigan changed the tempo of the game and started winning possession-by-possession. The Wolverines outscored LSU 22-7 over the next seven minutes of play to build an 80-70 lead.

Michigan held control from there, continuing to force the Tigers into tough offensive possessions, and securing defensive rebounds to halt any potential comeback.

1. Brooks and Brown lead the way

It can’t be overstated how exceptional Eli Brooks and Chaundee Brown played in this game. Brooks kept Michigan alive early in the game, when LSU hit tough shot after tough shot and looked poised to run away with this one. Brooks scored 13 points in the first half, and finished with 21 on 7-of-11 shooting (5-of-9 from deep). The senior has an excellent floor game as well, handing out 7 assists and grabbing 4 rebounds. Meanwhile, Brown picked the perfect time to break out of what had been an extended funk. After averaging under 5 point per game in his last seven outings, the transfer from Wake Forrest exploded for 21 points against the Tigers. Brown shot 6-of-9 from the floor, and was 6-for-6 from the foul line. In a game that Michigan needed guys to step up and make shots, these two guys delivered, and lifted the Wolverines to the Sweet 16.

2. Franz Wagner comes alive

Speaking of tough stretches, Franz Wagner hadn’t quite looked like himself offensively in the last couple games. In the first half tonight, the sophomore didn’t appear to be playing with much confidence. That changed in the second half, as Wagner came alive to help Michigan seize control late in the game. He finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds and a pair of assists, and made his usual impact defensively as well. Wagner’s offense has come and gone at times through this season, but his defensive prowess has been consistent. Maybe a game like this could spark the sophomore offensively heading into the second weekend of the tournament.

3. Dickinson, Johns Jr. secure the post

Hunter Dickinson’s impact on this game goes beyond his stat line – which is impressive on its own. The freshman had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists, and his presence on the floor dictated the way LSU tried to defend Michigan. The Tigers doubled the freshman nearly every time he caught the ball on the block, and it opened up the perimeter for the Wolverines. Dickinson did pick up 4 fouls, a couple of which were of the “frustration” variety, and has struggled at times when to use his physicality and when not to in the first two games of the tournament. But the fact remains that not many opponents have had an answer for the 7-footer this season. Michigan’s other frontcourt starter, Brandon Johns Jr., also played well on both ends with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal. The junior has been admirable since replacing Isaiah Livers in the starting lineup, and that shouldn’t be overlooked.

4. Smith struggles, Williams provides a boost

This was a tough game for Mike Smith, who was undersized on the defensive end and limited on the offensive end. Smith was just 2-for-8 from the floor on his way to 5 points, and while he handed out 6 assists, the senior point guard committed 4 turnovers. Smith’s size has hurt him in times this season, and tonight may have been a case of this being just a bad matchup for him. We’ll see how he responds next weekend. On a more positive note, the Wolverines got a nice little boost from Terrance Williams on Monday night. The freshman hasn’t seen a whole lot of playing time this season, but he took advantage of the 8 minutes he got tonight, scoring 4 points and handing out 3 assists. Williams did have a turnover in the open court that led to a LSU basket, when the Tigers utilized a trap at half court, but his impact on this game was positive overall. It was a nice showing for the freshman.

5. Florida State awaits in the Sweet 16

The Wolverines have made a habit out of reaching the second weekend of the Big Dance, having done so in each of the last four NCAA Tournament’s, and in six of the last eight tournaments. Awaiting Michigan in the Sweet 16 will be Florida State, the 4-seed of the East region. The Seminoles defeated 13th-seed UNC-Greensboro (64-54) and 5th-seeded Colorado (71-53) to advance to the second weekend. Florida State finished 2nd in the ACC this season, and have one of the deeper rosters in the country, with nine players averaging over 14 minutes per game. All five of the Seminoles starters average above 9 points per game, led by MJ Walker at 12.5 ppg. Florida State will provide a strong test for the Wolverines next weekend.