NCAA News Wire
Michigan 70, Oregon 63
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
NEW YORK — Sophomore guard Caris LeVert was clutch down the stretch for Michigan, helping the Wolverines secure a 70-63 win over Oregon on Monday in the semifinals of the Progressive Legends Classic at the Barclays Center.
With the Wolverines (4-0) holding onto a 56-53 lead with 4:51 to play, Levert scored the next five points, extending the lead to 61-57 with 2:59 to play.
Zak Irvin’s 3-pointer from the baseline from Levert gave the Wolverines a 64-59 edge with 1:27 remaining.
Irvin led Michigan with 19 points and Levert had 18 points.
Oregon (3-1) received 20 points from guard Joseph Young.
The Wolverines play Villanova in the tournament final on Tuesday.
Forward Dillon Brooks’ leaping follow-up dunk with 3:58 to play brought the Ducks to within 56-55. Levert hit two free throws to push the Michigan lead to 58-55, but the Ducks countered with two free throws to back to within one at 58-57.
Forward Elgin Cook’s traditional 3-point play tied it at 40 for Oregon with 13:45 to play. Michigan responded with an 8-3 run to take a 48-43 advantage with 10:30 to go.
With the score tied at 25, the Wolverines ended the first half on an 8-2 run to take a 33-27 advantage. Doyle scored five points in the run. The Michigan bench contributed 12 points in the first half.
The Wolverines shot 50 percent from the floor (13-of-26) in the half.
NOTES: Michigan last played in the Progressive Legends Classic in 2010. … Michigan’s roster features just three upperclassmen. The rest is made up of five sophomores, one redshirt freshman and six true freshmen. … Over the last two seasons, Michigan has produced five NBA draft picks. … This trip is Oregon’s first to Brooklyn in 67 years. The Ducks lost to LIU-Brooklyn, 49-47, in the 1947-48 season. … G Joseph Young, the top returning scorer in the Pac-12, was one of seven conference players named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50.
