For Wolverines, easy does it
LOS ANGELES — This one was easy.
After advancing to the NCAA tournament’s round of 16 with an improbable buzzer-beater, Michigan shot 62 percent from the floor and routed Texas A&M 99-72 in the West Region semifinals Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in six years.
The Wolverines on Saturday will face either No. 4 seed Gonzaga or No. 9 seed Florida State in the regional final.
Michigan (31-7) dominated from start to finish Thursday, hitting 14 3pointers — 10 in the first half — and extending its winning streak to 12 games. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored 24 points, Moe Wagner added 21 and Charles Matthews 18 as the third-seeded Wolverines had five players in double figures.
“My shot went in early and it gives you the confidence to take the next one,” Abdur-Rahkman said. “I think everyone had that Texas A&M’s Jay Jay Chandler stumbles as Michigan’s Zavier Simpson goes past him. confidence today.”
Abdur-Rahkman made four 3-pointers and both of his free throws. He also had seven assists and five rebounds.
“This senior right here played his tail off in every single way,” Michigan coach John Beilein said of AbdurRahkman. “This is a great example of a great college basketball player who can play afterward too.”
The Wolverines were good in the first half and even better in the second. The rout was on by halftime, with Michigan leading 52-28 after shooting 57 percent from the floor. It shot 68 percent in the second half.
“We are on a business trip, and we still have business to take of,” AbdurRahkman said.
Tyler Davis scored 24 points for the seventhseeded Aggies (22-13), who committed 10 first-half turnovers and totaled 14. Twelve of those resulted from Michigan steals, six of which were made Zavier Simpson. (32-4) vs. (26-10) 7:27 p.m., TBS Perhaps college basketball’s best overall guard, Jalen Brunson of Villanova, will lock horns with perhaps the nation’s best backcourt defender in West Virginia’s Jevon Carter. The Wildcats offense will have to deal with the Mountaineers’ press, but Villanova ranks in the top 15 in lowest turnover percentage. (30-6) vs. (26-9) 9:57 p.m., TBS Purdue pulled out a hardfought victory over Butler in the second round without center Isaac Haas (elbow). Backup Matt Haarms gave the Boilers good minutes, especially on defense. The Red Raiders, in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005, are one of the top remaining defensive teams. — Kansas City Star