Harris, Sims combine for 50 points
ANN ARBOR -- Junior guard Manny Harris (Detroit, Mich./ Redford) scored 27 points and senior forward DeShawn Sims (Detroit, Mich./Pershing) netted 23 as the University of Michigan men's basketball team (5-4) erased a halftime deficit to defeat Detroit, 75-64, on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 13) at Crisler Arena.
Sims recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Harris scored a game-high 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists. Trailing 36-33 at the break, U-M outscored the Titans 42-28 in the second frame to pull out the victory.
After falling behind 27-21 with 8:01 to play in the opening frame, Michigan went on a 10-2 spurt to regain the lead. Sophomore guard Stu Douglass (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) came off the bench to ignite the run with a three-pointer, then stole a pass and delivered the ball to sophomore guard Laval Lucas-Perry (Flint, Mich./Powers Catholic), who streaked down the floor to convert the fast-break layup while being fouled. After Lucas-Perry converted the free throw for the three-point play, Sims put in a layup of his own and Harris capped the run with a pair of free throws that put U-M up 31-29 with 5:22 to play.
The Titans responded with seven straight points and led 36-31 before Douglass drilled a jumper from the top of the key as the buzzer sounded to cut the deficit to three in a half that featured 13 lead changes in the first half.
Michigan came out of the intermission on the attack with a 16-6 run to go on top 49-42 with 14:22 to play. Sims dominated during the Michigan onslaught with 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers. Harris distributed three assists during the run and then picked up the scoring with 12 points in the final 13 minutes of the game.
The scrappy Titans kept it close and trailed 60-57 with 8:14 to play, but a Lucas-Perry triple and a Sims layup off a feed from Harris made it 68-59 and U-M never looked back.
Detroit held a 42-24 advantage on points in the paint but was outrebounded 35-26 by Michigan and never got closer than seven points in the final five minutes.
Both Wolverine standouts did damage from all over the court. Sims was 10-for-12 from the field and Harris went 8-for-10 from the charity stripe in the game. The "Motor City Duo" combined for 50 of Michigan's 75 points and collected 21 of its 35 rebounds.
Michigan heads to Lawrence, Kan., next weekend to face the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (No. 1 AP/No. 1 ESPN/USA Today) on Saturday (Dec. 19). Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. CST.
