The Sports Xchange
Nov 22, 2017
Moritz Wagner scored six points in the final minute, and Michigan outlasted Virginia Commonwealth 68-60 Wednesday in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center in Hawaii.
With the game tied at 60, Wagner converted a traditional three-point play and then followed with his only 3-pointer of the game to help the Wolverines prevail.
Duncan Robinson scored 18 points, and Wagner finished with 12 points and nine rebounds for Michigan (5-1), which bounced back from an opening loss to LSU with two straight wins to finish the tournament.
Khris Lane had 13 points, and De'Riante Jenkins and Mike'l Simms each finished with 12 for the Rams (3-3), who erased a 10-point deficit in the second half to take the lead.
Jenkins knocked down a jumper with two minutes to play that gave VCU a 60-57 lead, but the Rams wouldn't score again.
Michigan closed out a tight first half with a 6-0 run and led 36-30 at halftime. Robinson had 10 points in the first half for the Wolverines. Lane had 10 points in the first half for the Rams.
VCU ran off 10 straight points midway through the second half and grabbed the lead, 50-49 on a pair of free throws from Lane. But Robinson got hot for the Wolverines, converting two three-point plays on back-to-back possessions to set up a back-and-forth final two minutes.
VCU has a week off before returning to face Appalachian State at home. The Rams will take on their former coach Shaka Smart and Texas on Dec. 5.
Michigan returns home to face UC-Riverside on Sunday, before visiting No. 9 North Carolina on Nov. 29.