Michigan holds off Toledo in exhibition, 96-92
Michigan didn’t play its best game in a Friday night exhibition with Toledo, but it was good enough to pull out a win. U-M led by as many 16 in the second half but faltered on defense, eventually settling for a 96-92 victory.
U-M forced four turnovers in the first 3 minutes, but the offense was a bit slow to get going. The Wolverines made only 1 of their first 8 shots, going 0-for-4 from three-point range, allowing Toledo to take a 6-2 lead. Veteran wing Nimari Burnett checked in and ended the drought with an NBA triple at 15:59
Will Tschetter inside and Sam Walters with his preferred right corner three finally gave the Wolverines a lead, 10-8. Freshman L.J. Cason hit an NBA three at 13:41, and U-M’s offense was heating up. Toledo kept pace, but Cason’s second three made it 18-17 Wolverines at 11:52. He’s score twice more on tough drives and finishes for 10 points in his first few minutes on the floor.
Michigan was 5 of 10 from three after big man Danny Wolf nailed a triple to make it 25-20. The Wolverines’ quick hands forced several steals, the sixth at the 8-minute mark by frosh Phat Phat Brooks he finished for a 31-22 lead, forcing a Toledo timeout.
The Rockets wouldn’t quit. They rallied to cut it to 33-30 at 5:01. Cason answered with his third triple in three attempts and picked up a steal to ignite Michigan again. His fourth, at 3:08, made it 41-32 Wolverines.
Michigan poured it on the rest of the half an pulled out to a 50-32 lead. Cason led Michigan with 18 points in 11 minutes, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor, 4-for-4 from 3-point range.
The Wolverines shot 52.9 percent from the floor, 50 percent from three. Toledo shot 53.3 percent. Will Tschetter scored 9 points, Roddy Gayle Jr. 6 for Michigan.
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Second half: Back and forth before Michigan pulls it out
Michigan opened the lead early in the second half, 58-42, with Gayle scoring 4 points inside to lead the charge. They got a bit sloppy, however, allowing the Rockets too many good looks and 10 straight points to cut the lead to 58-52.
The rockets pulled within 61-57 before center Vlad Goldin’s offensive rebound putback, and one, pushed the lead back to seven heading into the second TV timeout. It was 8 when Walters hit a corner three at 10:45. The two teams continued to trade buckets, but Michigan always had an answer. Walters’ three-point play on a drive and finish at 8:27 pushed the lead back to 10.
Turnovers and fouls allowed the Rockets to stay in it. Michigan coughed it up 7 times in the first 14 minutes and Toledo went to the line 16 times in the same stretch, making 13. It was 78-74 at 5:18.
U-M got sloppy again after opening a 9-point edge, turning it over on consecutive possession with bad passes. Toledo cut it to 83-80 at 3:52 and to 83-82 on a tough jumper from Isaiah Adams. Gayle’s finish, and-one, put Michigan back up 4 at 2:46; the Ohio state transfer then nailed a huge three at 1:40 after Toledo cut the lead to 3, and the Wolverines finished it out.
Gayle and Cason both led the Wolverines with 20 points each. Goldin added 13 and Tschetter 12.
