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Posted on Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 3:59 p.m.

Michigan basketball team comes from behind to beat Penn State, 65-62

By Michael Rothstein

Hardaway Jr-Tim (2010-11).jpg

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Updated 3:59 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — In December, Michigan basketball coach John Beilein implored Tim Hardaway Jr. to drive the ball more and not settle for jump shots. In January, the coach picked on his shot selection at points.

Now, as Michigan hits its final month of the regular season, there aren't a lot of things for Beilein to critique.

The freshman's improvement was more evident than ever during Michigan’s 65-62 come-from-behind win at Penn State on Sunday afternoon, when Hardaway did something his coach and teammates hadn’t seen him do before.

With the game in the balance, he took over.

When his team needed it the most, trailing 48-39 with 7:40 to play, Hardaway went to work, scoring all 13 of his points in that stretch.

“He’s definitely as talented a player as we have and as a freshman has gone through his ups-and-downs,” junior guard Zack Novak said. “We’ve seen that before, when he can take over and some of the degree of difficulty things he can do. He’s going to be a great player.

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“But, definitely, he grew up today. I don’t remember a game where he - down the stretch - just took over like that.”

Hardaway had shown flashes this year as he matured from a jump shooter to the slashing wing he exhibited in high school and in the Wolverines’ early practices.

Over the past two weeks, that game — the one that led Beilein to compare him positively to former Michigan star Manny Harris in the preseason — has started to emerge.

Against Ohio State on Thursday, he had a couple of drives in the first half that were worthy of an NBA game, let alone a college one.

Then came Sunday, in a game Michigan almost had to win to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. With his team struggling, Hardaway found himself in foul trouble and on the bench for almost 15 minutes of the first half.

At the half, walk-on Corey Person told him to pick it up. His teammates agreed.

He did.

“Had to keep my head, not hold my head,” Hardaway said. “Come out there in the second half aggressive because I’m fresh off the bench and everyone is out there busting their butts. So just come out there with the intensity everybody gave in the first half.”

Hardaway didn’t score for the first 32 minutes, 36 seconds of Sunday's game. But when the scoring started, Penn State was in trouble.

First a layup, then a free throw, then another layup through three Penn State defenders after stealing the ball from Penn State guard Tim Frazier.

“I was just concentrating on the basket,” Hardaway said of his 1-on-3 fast break. “I just made a move and Jordan Morgan did a great job of acting out the screen and I just made a move and saw the basket wide open.

“I tried to get to the basket and I obviously did.”

That basket cut the Penn State lead to 48-44, but it was just the beginning for Michigan and Hardaway. The Wolverines were in the midst of scoring on eight of nine possessions, turning a 46-36 Penn State lead into a 57-53 Michigan advantage.

The run also negated another standout night from Penn State senior guard Talor Battle, who had 31 points and brought the Nittany Lions (12-10, 5-6) to the brink of a big win for their own NCAA Tournament hopes.

Instead, Michigan (14-10, 4-7) has renewed life in that area. Novak called it a “make-or-break” game.

Hardaway keyed the game-turning run, but he had help. Sophomore guard Darius Morris made critical layups as part of his 23 points. Junior guard Stu Douglass hit 3-pointers, part of his 14 points.

But the majority of it came from Hardaway.

“Sometimes he takes these shots that are like ‘Whooaaa, don’t,’” Douglass said. “Then you’re clapping by the time you’re running down the court. But he has that confidence and, especially with young players, you don’t want to take that confidence away from him.”

Penn State coach Ed DeChellis noticed a small difference in the evolution of Michigan’s precocious freshman, the one whose back-to-back 3-pointers with 5 minutes left tied the game at 53-53.

“A little more bouncy, maybe,” DeChellis said. “A little more aggressive with the basketball. He made a big three on the wing that was really crucial for them and drove the ball a little bit.

“The one on the wing, the left wing, it was really critical. He’s a little more confident. … It was really a big shot for ‘em.”

Michael Rothstein covers 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.

Comments

unclemercy

Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 6:28 p.m.

id keep asking that he concentrate on hitting both ends of the one and one but ive become a huge fan this season. plays both ends of the floor like a champ. go blue.

vi4mi4

Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 2:09 p.m.

..and Chuck gets a Ring!! Go Blue! v

vi4mi4

Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 2:09 p.m.

..Big SuperBowl Sunday win..Dfensive intensity.. high.. Jr. busting up that zone.. keep rolling.. Go Blue! v

81wolverine

Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.

Another very good win for Michigan. Hardaway will be a star player at Michigan while he's here, there's no doubt in my mind. He's every bit as athletic as Manny Harris was, but seems a lot more coachable. He's looking to be the steal of last year's recruiting class. Say what you want about Beilein's recruiting, but give him a lot of credit for seeing Hardaway's potential and working hard to bring him here. It's a joke that Hardaway was only a 3* H.S. player.

cnorman

Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:31 a.m.

teams that are thin on talent don't have the leisure of red-shirting. jon horford REALLY needed to be able to do that this season. i realize that jordan morgan was injured much of last year, but his redshirt year proved a blessing.

tulsatom

Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 12:41 a.m.

This young team is getting better all the time and is fun to watch. In my opinion, they are maybe one player away from being a championship caliber team. Since they are more of a finesse team, they could use a quality power forward with some height who can help Morgan get some rebounds and baskets down low.

Macabre Sunset

Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 10:09 p.m.

By far their best result of the year. Coming out of Penn State with a win is what good teams accomplish.

Blu-dogg97

Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 8:37 p.m.

Great road win..again Tim Jr. is going to be a star at Michigan.. TiM... Go Blue..

tater

Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.

Funny. Usually, the best way to defend a one-man team is to make the other guys beat you. This time, Michigan shut down the other guys and Battle's 31 weren't enough. I listened to this on the radio feed at mgoblue.com. It's fun listening to a homer broadcast from down here in Florida. I had forgotten how rooting in the broadcast booth sounds. They kept it subtle, but whoever was "clapping" with a pen on the table either doesn't realize it comes through the microphone or doesn't care. I'm hoping for the latter.

Timothy Flynn

Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 7:20 p.m.

What's really nice about this is that in a few minutes, unless they really get it into gear, the Spartans look like they'll be heading to the NIT with us this year.

InsideTheHall

Sun, Feb 6, 2011 : 7:05 p.m.

Hardaway saved the day and M taking over the game in the last 5 minutes. Not pretty but a road win is always huge.