Michigan extended its winning streak to six on Saturday afternoon, walking out of Mackey Arena with a 71-63 victory.
The Wolverines continued their defensive resurgence and suffocated a desperate Purdue offense. The Boilermakers scored .94 points per possession, a generous number after Matt Painter’s team intentionally fouled for the final 2:30 of regulation.
Zavier Simpson didn’t make a field goal, and Eli Brooks left the game with a facial injury early in the second half, but Franz Wagner chipped in with a career-high 22 points to carry Michigan’s offense.
The Wolverines weren’t great on offense overall, but they were perfect for the final four minutes of the first half. Coming out of a Juwan Howard timeout, Michigan scored 15 points on six consecutive possessions to end the half, stretching the lead from 4 points to 15.
That run, and Michigan’s consistent defense, provided enough cushion for an offense that never managed to find top gear again. The Wolverines scored just .92 points per possession over the games’ remaining 61 possessions.
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