Michigan basketball team rallies, knocks off Penn State, 64-55

Penn State's Chris Baab (10) passes over Michigan guard Zack Novak's (0) shoulder during in the first half on Thursday. (Photo: Associated Press)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - John Beilein usually walks into the Michigan basketball locker room at halftime, says a few words to his team and then talks to his assistant coaches before re-entering for a halftime speech.

On Thursday he said nothing. It changed everything.

Michigan rebounded from its worst half of the season for a come-from-behind 64-55 win over Penn State. Halftime started with Beilein looking at his team and then walking out.

What could he say? Michigan had more turnovers - 9 - than field goals - 8. It had missed all 12 of its 3-point attempts. The Wolverines scored a season-low 16 points in a half, just 2 better than in 5 minutes of overtime against Creighton and fewer than the 19 points the Wolverines scored in the final 6:15 against Ohio State on Sunday.

Penn State's David Jackson's shot is blocked as Michigan's DeShawn Sims (34) and Laval Lucas-Perry (31) defend Thursday. (Photo: Associated Press)

The Wolverines (8-6 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) played sloppy, disinterested and went away from senior forward DeShawn Sims, who had been dominant early and led his team with 25 points.

Beilein's silence sent a message. Change what is going on. Talk amongst yourselves. Figure it out.

“A lot of guys stepped up and talked, our captains and seniors but even some of our young guys piping up and saying stuff,” sophomore guard Zack Novak said. “We had a lot of positive things going on and I think it made a difference in the game.”

Novak said, “We can’t regress anymore.” Sims asked his team to “erase everything that happened in the first half and just to refocus.”

Coming from two of Michigan’s captains, it helped. And the Wolverines, in a situation where they could have crumbled to yet another loss to a mediocre team, didn’t.

Novak hit a jump shot on Michigan’s first possession. And when he hit a 3-pointer with 11:59 left to cut Penn State’s lead to 42-29, Michigan started to seize control.

Then junior guard Manny Harris hit a 3-pointer on the next possession and the 14 straight missed 3-pointers to start the game turned into Michigan making 7 of its final 10.

At that point, even Beilein - the silent one at the start of halftime -began to believe.

“We got it under 10 with so much time left to go,” Beilein said. “That’s hard. I’ve been in that situation where you’re up and your kids might get a little bit, I know my teams have done this, they want to get that game over with and the other team comes charging back.

“It’s hard to regain the momentum you once had.”

The rejuvenation came from the likely sources in Sims, Harris and Novak. And from an unlikely one in sophomore guard Laval Lucas-Perry, who made four 3-pointers in the final 7:26 and finished with 16 points, a big part of the 38-13 run that Michigan closed the game with. His first three-pointer cut Penn State’s lead to four, 45-41. His last effectively ended the game, giving Michigan a 60-52 lead with 2:17 left and helping to a season-best 48-point half.

“When I made that third three, I was like ‘I got to shoot it again. I need it. They need it,’” Lucas-Perry said. “I started hunting my shot more after I made those threes.”

Michigan needed it to pick up its first road win of the season, one as unlikely as the comeback win at Indiana a season ago, where it trailed by 17 points at halftime. Against Penn State (8-7, 0-3), Michigan trailed by 16 in the second half.

“This is a big win for us,” Novak said. “It showed we can fight back and that we’re not going to give up. It’s going to be good for us in the long run.”

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.