Red-hot Wolverines one win from advancing to Final Four

WEST: MICHIGAN 99, TEXAS A&M 72

The Associated Press ANGELES» This one LOS was easy.

After reaching the NCAA Tournament’s round of 16 with an improbable buzzerbeater, Michigan shot 62 percent from the floor and routed Texas A&M 99-72 in the West Regional semifinals Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in six years.

The Wolverines (31-7) dominated from start to finish, hitting 14 3-pointers — 10 in the first half — and extending their winning streak to 12 games.

Muhammad-Ali AbdurRahkman scored 24 points, Moe Wagner added 21 points and Charles Matthews contributed 18 points as third-seeded Michigan put 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 confidence today.”

Abdur-Rahkman made four 3-pointers and both of his free throws, and had five rebounds and seven assists.

“This senior right here played his tail off in every single way,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “This is like a great example of a great college basketball player that can play afterwards 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. In the second half, the Wolverines improved to 68 percent from the floor.

“We are on a business trip, and we still have business to take of,” AbdurRahkman said.

The Aggies (22-13) never made a run, going long stretches without a basket in the first half while Michigan was scoring on nearly every trip down the floor.

Tyler Davis led the seventh-seeded Aggies with 24 points.

Michigan won its secondround game to reach the Sweet 16 on freshman Jordan Poole’s long 3 at the buzzer against Houston.

Against the Aggies, Michigan led by 29 points after an 8-0 run near the end of the first half. The Wolverines averaged nine 3-pointers per game coming in and exceeded that by the break.

Michigan held the Aggies to 12-of-32 shooting from the floor by double-teaming Texas A&M and getting hands in shooters’ faces.

The Wolverines had 12 steals in the game, led by Zavier Simpson with six.

The Aggies committed 10 of their 14 turnovers in the first half, including five by T.J. Starks.

Alex Gallardo, The Associated Press Michigan guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, left, tries to score against Texas A&M’s Robert Williams in their teams’ West Regional semifinal game Thursday night in Los Angeles.