Albrecht Helps Michigan Upset No. 24 Ohio State 64-57
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Spike Albrecht scored 16 points to help Michigan upset No. 24th-ranked Ohio State 64-57 on Sunday.
The Buckeyes (19-8, 8-6 Big Ten) trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half before closing to 49-46 with seven minutes left with a 14-0 run. Zak Irvin answered with a 3-pointer a minute later and Ohio State never got closer than four points the rest of the day.
D'Angelo Russell had 16 points and Keita Bates-Diop scored 12 as the Buckeyes lost their second straight.
Irvin added 15 and seven rebounds for the Wolverines (14-13, 7-8), who defeated a top-25 opponent for the first time this season.
Ohio State helped by making just 10 first-half field goals (48 percent).
The Buckeyes were better on the offensive glass in the second half and reduced their giveaways. Meanwhile, Michigan stuck to what worked in the first 20 minutes.
The Wolverines milked the clock on nearly every possession and rarely attempted a field goal with more than 10 seconds to shoot. They went scoreless for more than seven minutes midway through the period before Irvin ended the drought with his third 3-pointer.
Ohio State had a three-minute scoreless streak and Irvin and Albrecht each scored to push the lead to 60-50 with less than a minute to play.
The victory evened the season series with the Buckeyes and ended a five-game losing streak. Michigan hadn't won since topping visiting Nebraska on Jan. 27.
TIP-INS:
Ohio State: Russell entered the game as the country's top freshman scorer (19.1 ppg) but struggled in the first half. He had just three points at halftime on 1-for-4 shooting and had two turnovers.
He wasn't much better in the second. Russell got his last 13 points by going 5 for 11 from the floor and had three second-half turnovers.
Michigan: The Wolverines avoided their third six-game losing streak under coach John Beilein. His first squad dropped a half-dozen straight during the 2007-08 season. The 2010-11 team did the same but recovered to earn an NCAA tournament berth.
INJURY REPORT: Michigan starting center Ricky Doyle limped off the court late in the first half and did not return until halfway through the second. Point guard Derrick Walton missed his seventh straight game with a foot injury.
UNHAPPY TRIP: Sunday's loss ended an 0-2 swing through the Great Lakes State for the Buckeyes, who dropped a 59-56 decision at Michigan State on Valentine's Day after the Spartans made a 3-pointer in the closing seconds. Ohio State has lost its last three games at Crisler Center.
FEW OPTIONS: The Wolverines almost certainly will need to win the Big Ten tournament title to secure an NCAA tournament bid and Beilein already is making plans if that doesn't happen. He said Saturday his team only would accept an NIT berth if it's not invited to the big dance.
Michigan would refuse to play in the College Basketball Invitational or Collegeinsiders.com tournament. The Wolverines have played in the NCAA tournament in five of Beilein's first seven seasons.
UP NEXT
Ohio State returns home Thursday evening to face Nebraska.
The Wolverines visit No. 16 Maryland at noon Saturday.
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