Michigan's Anthony Wright, left, and the rest of the bench celebrate a score during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton in the Old Spice Classic tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

AP photo

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Michigan had its first real test of the basketball season on Thanksgiving, and discovered one crucial element of its team. There are going to be times when the Wolverines cannot survive without Manny Harris.

The junior guard took over when Michigan was down and struggling late, either scoring or assisting every basket over the final two minutes of regulation and in overtime to lift the No. 15 Wolverines to an 83-76 win in overtime over Creighton in the first round of the Old Spice Classic.

Harris, who finished one rebound shy of his second triple-double of the season, played nearly the entire 45 minutes and scored 11 of Michigan’s final 18 points.

He also assisted on Michigan’s two other overtime baskets - a layup by DeShawn Sims and a three-pointer by Zack Novak that essentially iced the game.

All of it was done through the creative power of the junior, and Michigan sorely needed it.

“Games like today we did,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “DeShawn wasn’t shooting the ball as well from the outside so the floor wasn’t as open as we’d like it to be. Our timing on what we do offensively, it’s hard to get it down at this point in the year when you have good defense like that.

“So there were times where we needed to open these gaps for Manny to drive the ball and that’s what we did late.”

It also erased what had been a tough game for Harris early. The All-Big Ten candidate pressed in the first half and appeared as if his shot was off. He missed three-pointers, inside leaners and layups.

But when it mattered and his team was about to drop its first game of the season, he came through.

It’s how he finished with 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.

“I tried to get other people involved,” Harris said. “Crash the rebound, just do anything. Coach had confidence in me to keep me out there even though my shot wasn’t falling.

“I had to do something else for the team.”

He rescued Michigan from what had been an odd game. At times, especially defensively in the first half, the Wolverines looked dominant. They used the 1-3-1 zone for most of the half and forced Creighton (2-2) into eight turnovers. During some stretches, it looked as if the Blue Jays were almost handing the ball to Novak and Harris.

Eventually, though, Creighton figured out the 1-3-1 and used guard Justin Carter, who was questionable to play with a knee injury, slashing right through the sides of the lane on cuts when Michigan would become extended on the shooters.

He finished with 21 points and was a major reason Creighton had as much as a five-point lead in the second half.

“They were spreading out,” Carter said. “So I was just trying to get in the holes and making plays, flashing into the zone.”

Meanwhile, Michigan struggled. And the Wolverines shortened their bench, sticking with its starting five with Stu Douglass replacing Darius Morris for all of the comeback and most of the overtime.

Douglass’ three-pointer from the top of the key - his only basket of the game - tied the game at 65-65 with 2:11 left and from there, Harris took over.

“We are still a young team, we got a lot of guys back from last year,” Novak said. “We’re young, so be able to get a victory early over a team like that, I think it’s going to help us.”

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.