ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) – Greg Eboigbodin had a breakout game in Illinois' 79-69 loss at Michigan on Saturday. The freshman forward recorded career highs with 10 points and six rebounds. He tied a career high with two blocks.
Michigan (14-3, 3-1 Big Ten) won its seventh straight game, but only after a difficult first half in which the Fighting Illini caused problems with their defensive pressure. The Wolverines trailed 19-11 when Livers came in. The 6-foot-7 freshman contributed a 3-pointer and three dunks, the last of which put Michigan up 25-23.
Illinois was ahead 34-31 at halftime, but while the Wolverines took better care of the ball in the second half, turnovers remained a problem for the Illini (10-7, 0-4). Michigan had 12 turnovers in the first half to nine for Illinois. In the second half, the Wolverines only had three, and the Illini had eight.
Charles Matthews, Michigan's leading scorer, was called for a foul in the first minute of the game and immediately came out. When he returned a few minutes later, he picked up a quick second foul and sat the rest of the half. Matthews and Wagner were both called for their third fouls early in the second half, but that didn't stop the Wolverines from keeping Illinois at bay.
Michigan shot 64 percent from the field in the second half and finished with six players in double figures.
Kipper Nichols led Illinois with 17 points.
Up next, Illinois hosts Iowa Thursday at 7 pm CT.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois forced Michigan into a season-high 15 turnovers.
- Illinois scored 48 of its 69 points in the paint.
- Illinois shot 57.1 percent from two-point range (24-42), but shot just 21.4 percent from three-point range (3-14).
- Illinois' four blocks were one away from a season high (5 vs. Austin Peay). All four blocks came in the first half.
- Illinois led 34-31 at halftime.
- Illinois leads the all-time series against Michigan 87-84.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Freshman forward Greg Eboigbodin scored a career-high 10 points vs. Michigan on 5-of-5 shooting. He added a career-high six rebounds and tied a career-high with two blocks. Eboigbodin had two blocks in his first three minutes on the court after having two blocks in his first 94 minutes this season.
- Redshirt sophomore forward Kipper Nichols tied his career and season high with 17 points vs. Michigan (17 vs. Marshall). He added a team-high seven rebounds, tied for his third-best rebounding effort this season.
- Sophomore guard Te'Jon Lucas had a team-best six assists, tying his season high. He also scored eight points on 3-of-7 shooting, his fourth-best scoring game of the season.
- Freshman guard Trent Frazier started for the first time in his career. He scored eight points on 3-of-8 shooting.
