Wolverines whip Miami
ANN ARBOR, Mich, (AP) — Nimari Burnett scored a season high 18 points and Auburn transfer Tre Donaldson matched his career high with 16 as Michigan roared away from Miami (OH) in the second half to post a 94-67 win in an opening-round game in the Fort Myers Tipoff tournament Monday night.
Michigan is one of four teams in the Beach Division, joining South Carolina and Xavier and the Wolverines take on Virginia Tech on Monday. Miami (OH) is in the Palms Division, joining Jacksonville and Mercer and will face Siena on Monday.
Michigan held an eight-point lead, 44-36 at intermission and opened the second half with an 8-0 run kicked off by a Burnett jumper and a Roddy Gayle Jr. 3-pointer, the first of eight treys the Wolverines knocked down in the final 20 minutes. The team finished shooting 58.3% from the field (35 of 60) and 48.3% from long range (14 of 29).
Michigan is now 3-1 to start the Dusty May era in Ann Arbor and is 3-0 at home. Donaldson scored 16 points in his debut and has scored in double figures in all four games. Burnett hit 7 of 10 shots, including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc, and added four of the Wolverines 23 assists on 35 baskets. L.J. Cason had 11 points off the bench and Gayle chipped in 10 points with five assists. Vladislav Goldin finished with eight points, six rebounds and two assists, topping 1,200 points in his career.
The RedHawks (2-2) hit 26 of 65 from the field (40%) and knocked down 11 of 32 from 3-point range. Eian Elmer led the effort with 14 points with three steals. Kam Craft added 13 and Peter Suder 12.
Michigan completes its three-game homestand when it hosts Tarleton State on Thursday.