Indiana beats Michigan 80-67 after huge run to end 1st half

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Facing an early double-digit deficit in a tough environment, Indiana coach Tom Crean still felt fairly confident.

"I didn't have any panic. We were getting great shots, they just weren't going in," Crean said.

The 22nd-ranked Hoosiers regrouped and rallied, finishing the first half with 25 straight points en route to an 80-67 victory over Michigan on Tuesday night.

Indiana missed eight straight shots early in the game and fell behind 10-2. The Wolverines eventually went ahead 15-4, but by halftime it was the Hoosiers who had turned the game into a rout.

Yogi Ferrell had 17 points and nine assists for Indiana.

"I had no idea until halftime that we had the run that we had," Crean said. "I just knew that we were getting stops and the ball was really moving for us offensively."

The Big Ten-leading Hoosiers (19-4, 9-1) were nearly flawless in the final minutes of the half. Indiana led 45-24 at halftime and went on to its most lopsided victory over the Wolverines (17-6, 7-3) in Ann Arbor since 2008.

Robert Johnson scored 16 points for the Hoosiers and O.G. Anunoby added 11.

Zak Irvin led Michigan with 16 points. The Wolverines were without Caris LeVert for a ninth straight game because of a lower left leg injury.

Indiana recovered from its shaky start, but the Hoosiers still trailed 24-20 after Michigan's Duncan Robinson made a 3-pointer with 9:05 left in the half. The Wolverines wouldn't score again before halftime, and what was supposed to be a close game in front of a raucous crowd quickly became a blowout.

"We tried everything we could," Irvin said. "We were trying to stay connected as a unit, but obviously we got a little bit away from that."

Michigan took two timeouts in the half but still couldn't steady itself.

"I think probably, if I'd do it over again, use the third timeout -- which I don't think I've ever done in the history of coaching," Wolverines coach John Beilein said.

A dunk by Troy Williams off an alley-oop pass put Indiana ahead 36-24, and then the Hoosiers added 3-pointers by Collin Hartman, Ferrell and Nick Zeisloft. Indiana ended up shooting 19 of 31 from the field in the half, which was remarkable considering its early dry spell.

"We picked up our intensity on defense," Anunoby said. "And, we did a lot better focusing."

Anunoby opened the scoring in the second half with a 3 before Michigan finally ended its scoreless stretch.

The Wolverines scored the game's final nine points to make the final margin a lot more respectable than it could have been. Michigan trailed by as many as 27 points in the second half.

FAMILY MATTERS

On the eve of national signing day, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh was at the game, but he has ties to both sides of this rivalry. Harbaugh's sister is married to Crean, and Harbaugh was in the Hoosiers' locker room at halftime Tuesday, although Crean said he didn't talk to the team.

Crean said Harbaugh attended Monday night's practice, but may not have watched it much because he was walking up and down steps, on the phone.

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh and the head of the family, Jack, a former assistant football coach at Michigan, were also on hand.

RETURN

Max Bielfeldt had five points and seven rebounds for Indiana in his return to Ann Arbor. Bielfeldt went from Michigan to Indiana as a graduate transfer this past offseason. He received a nice hand from the crowd when he checked in the game in the first half.

"On behalf of Indiana basketball, I would like to thank the crowd for how they reacted to him," Crean said.

TIP-INS

Indiana: The Hoosiers scored 41 points in the last 14:10 of the first half. ... Indiana beat Michigan 78-64 in Ann Arbor in 2008.

Michigan: Robinson scored 14 points for the Wolverines but made only one 3-pointer. He made only one 3 in the previous game against Penn State -- after making at least two shots from beyond the arc in each of his previous 17 games.

UP NEXT

Indiana: Plays at Penn State on Saturday night.

Michigan: Hosts No. 10 Michigan State on Saturday.