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Hardaway's late jumper lifts No. 18 Michigan over Minnesota

Jan 2, 2012 - 12:54 AM Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) - Tim Hardaway Jr. was just 2-for-14 from the field, but made a key jumper with 36 seconds remaining to help the 18th- ranked Michigan Wolverines beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 61-56.

Hardaway ended with seven points for the Wolverines (12-2, 2-0 Big Ten), who are off to their best start in the John Beilein era.

Trey Burke paced Michigan with 27 points and three assists. Stu Douglass and Zack Novak each had nine points for the Wolverines, who improved to 9-0 at home this season.

"I just try to do whatever the flavor of the game is," Burke said. "I make sure that we get the win."

Julian Welch and Rodney Williams had 11 points apiece for the Golden Gophers (12-3, 0-2), who have lost two in a row since a six-game winning streak.

Welch made a pair of three-pointers around two Burke free throws to get Minnesota within one, 57-56, with 2:08 to play.

The Golden Gophers had a chance to go in front after Novak missed a jumper, but a shot clock violation proved costly.

Hardaway was just 1-for-13 from the floor before making his jumper with 36 seconds left, which made it a 59-56 game.

Williams tried to tie the game with a shot from beyond the arc, but his miss led to a pair of Novak free throws.

Trailing by three, 11-8, early on, the Wolverines went on an 11-0 run to create some distance. Hardaway made a pair of foul shots to make it a 19-11 contest with 4:13 remaining in the first half.

A Williams jumper and Chip Armelin layup got Minnesota within four, 23-19, at the break.

The Golden Gophers kept it close in the second half. A Williams free throw capped a 6-2 spurt to tie the game at 35-35 with 12 1/2 minutes to go.

But Michigan responded with an 8-1 spurt. Douglass bookended the flurry with a pair of three-pointers to make it 43-36.

Minnesota prevented the Wolverines from pulling away, and Williams' three- point play cut the gap to 53-50 with 4 1/2 minutes left.

Game Notes

The Wolverines lead the all-time series between the conference foes by a count of 79-59...Michigan has won seven in a row...The Wolverines went 15-for-23 from the foul line, while the Golden Gophers went 6-of-8 from the charity stripe.