The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Michigan tops Northwestern, is 17-0
ANN ARBOR, MICH. >> Jon Teske scored all 17 of his points in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan is now off to its best start in program history after an 80-60 victory over Northwestern on Jan. 13.
The Wolverines (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten) started 16-0 on two previous occasions, but this season’s team surpassed that by routing Northwestern. Zavier Simpson scored a careerhigh 24 points for Michigan, and Teske matched his own career high in scoring.
The 7-foot-1 Teske made three 3-pointers, plus a couple more midrange shots. Simpson — who entered the game shooting 29 percent from 3-point range — connected five times from beyond the arc.
Northwestern (10-7, 1-5) was without leading scorer Vic Law, who was out with a lower-body injury. The Wildcats lost by two to the Wolverines last month — one of only two Michigan games this season decided by single digits — but this one was no contest.
Simpson’s hook shot off the glass gave the Wolverines an early 10-0 lead, and although Northwestern quickly battled back to within two, the game didn’t stay close for long. Michigan made 13 of its final 16 shots from the field in the first half and led 5028 at halftime.
Dererk Pardon (VASJ) scored 20 points for Northwestern.
Michigan also started 16-0 in 1985-86 and 201213. The Wolverines have matched the longest winning streak in school history. They won 17 in a row in 1985 before losing in the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan and Virginia are the only unbeaten teams remaining in Division I.
Big picture
NORTHWESTERN >> The Wildcats had a real chance to beat Michigan at home in December, but with Law out of action, they couldn’t keep it close Sunday and maybe shouldn’t have been expected to. MICHIGAN >> The Wolverines have won 31 of their last 32 games, with the only loss coming to Villanova in last year’s national title game. They are a terrific defensive team, and they have plenty of ways to score as well. Michigan becomes even harder to beat when getting unexpected scoring from players like Teske and Simpson.
Poll implications
Top-ranked Duke won on a last-second shot Jan. 12, so Michigan will likely stay at No. 2.
Up next
NORTHWESTERN >> The Wildcats play at Rutgers on Jan. 18. MICHIGAN >> The unbeaten run should get a real test when the Wolverines play at Wisconsin on Jan. 20.