Minnesota 69, Michigan 60

2/21/2008 10:27 PM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Lawrence McKenzie had a career-high 26 points and made seven 3-pointers to lead Minnesota to a 69-60 victory over Michigan.

The senior guard broke out of his recent shooting slump just in time to stop Minnesota's two-game skid, halting Michigan's three-game winning streak in the process. McKenzie's seven 3-pointers tied Terrance Simmons' 2001 mark for the most in Minnesota history and was one shy of the most in Williams Arena history. Indiana's Jay Edwards set that mark in 1988.

Spencer Tollackson added 12 points for Minnesota (16-9, 6-7 Big Ten), and Jonathan Williams helped key a 14-3 run midway through the second half that put the Gophers in control of the game for good.

McKenzie was 7-of-22 from the floor in his last three games combined. But he started hot on Thursday, hitting his first three attempts from behind the arc to start the game.

The Gophers needed every ounce of McKenzie's career night to beat the suddenly hot Wolverines, who came off an impressive win against Ohio State. McKenzie went 9-for-14 from the floor while the rest of the Gophers combined for 15-for-33.

Michigan's freshman-sophomore tandem of Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims again sparked the Wolverines' offense. Each had 16 points for Michigan (8-18, 4-10), the Big Ten's worst-shooting team. The Wolverines entered the game averaging 41 percent from the floor - and they fell far short of that mark with their 22-for-70 effort against the Gophers. Harris sat late in the game after committing five turnovers.

Some early success from the perimeter made both teams a little daring from 3-point range. The teams combined for 50 attempts from behind the arc - Minnesota went 10-for-24 while Michigan hit five of 26.

The Wolverines led 49-44 midway through the second half before Minnesota's run. Blake Hoffarber fed Williams, who finished with seven points and eight rebounds, on an alley-oop dunk at the 9:09 mark to give the crowd a lift and the Gophers a 1-point lead. Al Nolen followed with a jumper from the top of the key and McKenzie with another three.

The Gophers jumped out to a quick double-digit lead by hitting their first four 3-point shots. But Michigan got tough on defense and began using good ball movement to methodically attack the basket and get back into the game.

Harris had 12 points by halftime and Sims 11.