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Michigan buries Houston Baptist

Dec 7, 2013 - 9:24 PM Ann Arbor, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Nik Stauskas poured in 25 points and Glenn Robinson added 17, leading 22nd-ranked Michigan to a 107-53 rout of Houston Baptist at the Crisler Center.

Zak Irvin scored 14 and Mitch McGary contributed 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Wolverines (6-3), who had lost two of their previous three, including a 79-69 setback to Duke on Tuesday. Michigan has another stiff test in its next outing, as Arizona visits Ann Arbor next Saturday.

Stauskas, who scored a mere four points in the loss to Duke, shot 7-of-11 from the field and hit 6-of-9 from 3-point range. The Wolverines tied the school record with 16 made threes in the lopsided contest and had their highest scoring output since a 112-64 win over Indiana on Feb. 22, 1998.

"He bounced back," said Michigan coach John Beilein about Stauskas. "We faced a different defense (than against Duke) and he got himself open, he found his spots."

Ricmonds Vilde and Rob Lewis each scored 10 points for Houston Baptist (3-6), which was coming off consecutive two-point wins over Army and Rice.

Houston Baptist led 4-2 early and was within 15-12 just 5 1/2 minutes into the contest thanks to eight points from Tyler Russell, but Michigan quickly pulled away.

Threes from Irvin, Stauskas and Robinson lifted the Wolverines to a 29-19 edge and the cushion reached 20 at 43-23 a few minutes later on another Stauskas triple. Michigan continued to pour it on, as a three by Stauskas and a dunk by Robinson off a turnover in the final seconds made it 60-34 at the break.

"Once we figured out we had to amp up our intensity on defense, it was a big change in the game," said Beilein.

Michigan distributed the ball well in the opening 20 minutes with 18 assists on 23 made field goals. Stauskas had 17 points for the Wolverines, who shot a scorching 67.6 percent from the field and 10-of-16 from beyond the arc in the first half.

"I felt really good," said Stauskas about bouncing back. "(The Duke game) was a struggle, for all of us really."

An 8-0 run to start the second half pushed the Michigan advantage to 34 and it reached 51 at 96-45 on a pair of Derrick Walton Jr. free throws with 5 1/2 minutes remaining. The Wolverines soon after emptied their bench and led by as many as 55.

Game Notes

Michigan finished 16-of-26 from beyond the arc and had 26 assists on 36 made field goals ... The Wolverines scored 28 points off 16 Houston Baptist turnovers ... Walton scored 14 points for the Wolverines ... Russell failed to score after his early burst and finished with eight points for Houston Baptist ... Michigan last reached the century mark in its 2012-13 season opener -- a 100-62 victory over Slippery Rock ... The Wolverines previously made 16 threes against Bryant on Dec. 23, 2010 and against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 13, 2008 ... Michigan won the only previous meeting with Houston Baptist, a 77-55 home decision in November 2009.