Michigan’s Hillman scores 50 in loss

Jacy Sheldon scored 20 points, including a 3-pointer and two free throws in the final 48 seconds, and No. 17 Ohio State beat No. 11 Michigan 81-77 on Thursday, spoiling Naz Hillmon’s 50-point, 16-rebound performance. Hillmon broke Michigan’s program scoring record — for men’s or women’s — by making 20 of 30 field goals and 10 of 14 free throws to reach the half-century mark. It was the highest scoring output this season in Division 1, and the first 50-point game in the Big Ten since Rachel Banham’s 52 for Minnesota on Feb. 21, 2016. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Michigan’s 16-point, third-quarter deficit. Michigan (10-1, 5-1 Big Ten) started the fourth on a 17-3 run to take a 71-69 lead as the host Buckeyes (8-1, 4-1) missed their first eight shots from the field. Tanaya Beacham’s layup with 1:58 left was Ohio State’s first make of the fourth, tying it at 73. Hillmon, whose previous best scoring game was 35 points, broke the Michigan women’s scoring record that has stood since Diane Dietz had 45 against Illinois on Feb. 27, 1982. Hillmon also broke Dietz’s field-goal record of 17 set in the same game. Michigan’s scoring record on the men’s side is 48 points set by Rudy Tomjanovich and Cazzie Russell — both in the 1960s.