Minus LeVert, Michigan still routs Penn State
ANN ARBOR, MICH. >> With or without Caris LeVert, when Michigan shoots 3-pointers like this, not many teams can compete with the Wolverines.
Zak Irvin had 16 points and seven assists, and Michigan had no trouble overcoming LeVert’s absence in an impressive 79-56 win over Penn State on Saturday. LeVert, the team’s leading scorer, sat out with a lower leg injury, but the Wolverines broke the game open with stellar outside shooting. Michigan went 10 of 15 from 3-point range in the first half.
“I think everyone has to step up,” Irvin said. “Caris does a lot for our team. He’s one of the best players in the country, and we’ve all just got to have that mindset, that we’ve all got to pick up what we do to the next level.”
Michigan announced before the game that LeVert wouldn’t play. Coach John Beilein said he hoped to know more about the 6-foot-7 senior’s status in the coming week. It’s a troublesome development for the Wolverines after LeVert was limited to 18 games a season ago because of a left foot injury.
Beilein said LeVert was hurt in the team’s win at Illinois on Wednesday.
“We don’t know all the specifics,” Beilein said. “I don’t want to speculate on what we don’t know yet. I think in time, we’ll know more.”
Michigan already lost guard Spike Albrecht for the season. Albrecht is rehabbing from offseason hip surgery.
The Wolverines (12-3, 2-0 Big Ten) finished Saturday’s game 14 of 25 from beyond the arc. They have won six straight.
Brandon Taylor led the Nittany Lions (9-6, 0-2) with 18 points.
Penn State led 11-6 early before Michigan went on a 24-4 run. Irvin and Duncan Robinson made three 3-pointers each in the half, and the Wolverines were up 49-28 at halftime.
“Michigan was a buzzsaw today,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. “It was almost like LeVert was out and they wanted to show that they could do it.”