Michigan downs Indiana, improves to 17-1

Led by point guard Elliot Cadeau in the first half and Yaxel Lendeborg in the second half, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Indiana Hoosiers by a final score of 86-72 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Tuesday night. Despite shooting just 22-for-33 from the free throw line, U-M still disposed of Indiana by double digits, marking its 13th double-digit win in its last 14 victories.

Indiana never led in this contest. Michigan immediately jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first five minutes and change, and the Hoosiers didn’t score their first bucket until the 14:29 mark in the opening half. The Wolverines jumped ahead by 15 points less than 10 minutes into the game, and Indiana never had a chance.

Cadeau led the way for the Wolverines in the first half with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. To go along with Cadeau’s scoring efforts, Trey McKenney, Aday Mara and Will Tschetter each scored six points in the first 20 minutes.

Notably, Michigan scored 40 first-half points despite shooting 1-of-8 from the charity stripe and turning the ball over nine times. The Wolverines shot better than 57 percent from the floor and exactly 50 perfect from distance in the first half, establishing an 11-point lead that should have been much more.

In front of a radiant Crisler Center crowd, the Wolverines kept their foot on the gas in the second half. Led by Lendeborg, Michigan refused to let Indiana cut into the lead. Lendeborg finished the second half with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting. He finished the night with seven rebounds and four assists to go along with his 15 total points.

By the end of the game, Cadeau (19), Lendeborg (15), Mara (13) and McKenney (10) finished in double figures. Nimari Burnett and Morez Johnson Jr. each finished with nine points, as well.

With the win, Michigan improves to 17-1 overall on the season and 7-1 in Big Ten play. The Wolverines have won three games in a row after falling to Wisconsin at home on Saturday, Jan. 10.

U-M will host rival Ohio State at Crisler Center on Friday. Michigan legend Trey Burke will have his jersey No. 3 honored at the game. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and the game will air live on FOX.