Michigan runs wild over Texas A&M 99-72 to reach Elite Eight
Michigan forward Moritz Wagner was running so hard while driving for a layup in the game’s opening minutes that his momentum carried him a couple of steps past the basket stanchion after he absorbed a foul.
He spotted a pack of Wolverines fans sitting beyond the baseline inside Staples Center and threw up both arms to encourage more noise from what felt like a home crowd.
The decibel level rarely fell the rest of the way among those wearing maize and blue.
Third-seeded Michigan turned its NCAA tournament West Regional semifinal into an extended celebration Thursday, building leads as large as 29 points before halftime on the way to a 99-72 thrashing of seventh-seeded Texas A&M.
“It really felt like just like we were on the East Coast,” Michigan coach John Beilein said, “and we’re from the state of Michigan.”
The Wolverines (31-7) stuck another dagger deep into the heart of Texas after knocking off Houston in the second round. They will face Florida State in the regional final on Saturday.
Most of the racket in the game’s early going was generated by Wagner and Michigan guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, who made two of the Wolverines’ 10 three-pointers in the first half. Abdur-Rahkman finished with 24 points to lead four Wolverines in double figures.
Wagner doubled as head cheerleader as his team’s lead continued to bulge. He buried a corner three-pointer, turned around and yelled at Texas A&M counterpart Tyler Davis before coming up with a steal. Wagner then found another pack of Michigan fans behind the team’s bench and wiggled his fingers, prompting another spike in volume.
“It’s incredible,” Wagner, who made eight of 12 shots and all three of his three-pointers on the way to 21 points, said of the fan support. “This brand, Michigan, is traveling so well.”
A “Let’s go Blue!” chant during one Wolverines surge seemed to rattle Texas A&M, which missed two point-blank shots on the same sequence. The Aggies (22-13) were also sloppy, committing four turnovers over the game’s first 5½ minutes.
Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy tried an unusual move to settle his team, calling two timeouts in the first half.
“I haven’t called two timeouts in the first half all year,” said Kennedy, whose team essentially experienced the inverse of its 86-65 victory over North Carolina in the second round. “Felt like we ran into a buzz saw.”
Even in the moments after Aggies guard T.J. Starks made a three-pointer before halftime to cut his team’s deficit to 52-28, it was Michigan fans who were roaring. They had the scoreboard well in their favor after the Wolverines made 57.1% of their shots and 62.5% of their three-pointers over the first 20 minutes.
“I was just wondering when they were going to miss,” Aggies guard Admon Gilder said, eyes wide in amazement.
Texas A&M didn’t give up. An Aggies staff member yelled encouragement at guard Jay Jay Chandler while Chandler hoisted three-pointers in warmups before the start of the second half.
“You’ve got to believe, you’ve got to believe!” the staff member said. “Let’s go!”
The Aggies came out with a full-court press and forced a couple of turnovers while working the ball inside for easy baskets. It sparked a 7-0 run … that brought them within 21 points.
The Wolverines were that comfortably ahead on the way to their 12th consecutive victory, allowing for relaxed viewing among their fans.
The final highlight belonged to Michigan freshman guard C.J. Baird, a former team manager who had earned his way onto the roster as a walk-on. Baird entered the game with 41 seconds left and looked as if he might be intent on dribbling his way into a shot-clock violation. Then he spotted several teammates standing in front of the bench pantomiming a shooting motion.
Baird rose for a three-pointer that fell through the net, sparking more pandemonium after the reserve exceeded his point total (two) from his previous seven minutes of play this season.
“Those are great moments,” Beilein said. “Those are the ones I may remember more than others.”
Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch
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