Wolverines hang on against W. Illinois
11/18/2011ANN ARBOR -- Tim Hardaway, Jr., scored 16 points, and Trey Burke added 14 to help No. 17 Michigan hold off Western Illinois 59-55 on Thursday night.
It was the final tuneup for the Wolverines (3-0) before they head to Hawaii to play No. 10 Memphis on Monday.
Michigan led by five with 3:06 remaining when Western Illinois' Obi Emegano missed a free throw that would have completed a three-point play, and Hardaway scored at the other end to make it 53-46.
Jordan Morgan added 11 points for Michigan.
Western Illinois (0-2) lost its 15th straight game, a slide that dates to Jan. 15. Ceola Clark III led the Leathernecks with 21 points, and Terell Parks contributed 11.
Trailing 30-28 early in the second half, Michigan went on an 11-2 run to take the lead for good. Morgan capped the stretch with an impressive sequence in which he scored, blocked a shot, then scored another basket inside to give the Wolverines a 39-32 lead.
Michigan opened the season with a win over Division II Ferris State last week, then handed Towson its 21st consecutive loss. After the win over Western Illinois, it's fair to wonder how much the Wolverines have been tested, but they'll face much stiffer competition soon enough.
Western Illinois gave Michigan all it could handle for most of this game. The Leathernecks shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range in the first half and entered halftime tied at 28.
The teams finished with a combined 38 fouls.