Tim Hardaway Jr. was simply too much for Kansas State to handle.
Fourth-ranked Michigan captured the NIT Season Tip-Off Championship last night at Madison Square Garden, leading wire-to-wire in a 71-57 win over Kansas State that showcased the talents of the star junior guard.
“This is what [Hardaway] works for,” Michigan head coach John Beilein said. “When you work really hard, it breeds confidence. He does that. Obviously he’s got great DNA, but you have to have great work habits like his father did.”
Hardaway Jr., whose father had many of his own signature moments playing in the Garden against the Knicks as a member of the Heat in the 1990s, dazzled the crowd, leading all scorers with 23 points.
Hardaway’s performance over the two games this week earned him the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honors.
“When [Tim is playing well], it opens up everything for us,” Michigan guard Trey Burke said. “Once he gets going, you have to feed him.”
Hardaway went down with 3:37 left in the second half, grabbing his head and writhing in pain as the officials called a foul against Michigan (5-0). Hardaway left the court under his own power, but did not return. Beilein said he spoke to Hardaway and “he seemed fine.”
“I don’t have a full report,” Beilein said. “I think he just got a little hit to the head, so it was just precautionary.”
Despite being undersized and with their two big men getting into foul trouble, Michigan outrebounded Kansas State, 40-28, led by Glenn Robinson III, another NBA offspring who had a game-high 11 rebounds.
“It’s really important that we limit their second opportunities,” Beilein said. “Teams like this and other Big Ten teams that really rely on offensive rebounding, we haven’t been able to [block out and get offensive rebounds], but we did that today.”
Michigan exploded out of the gate in the second half, going on a 22-6 run that extended its lead to 21 points.
“It wasn’t a set thing,” Burke said. “It was just whatever the defense was giving us, it was a matter of making the right read.”
The Wildcats (5-1) were limited to 22-of-60 shooting, including 4-of-18 from beyond the arc. Long-distance shooting has been an issue for Kansas State, which has shot under 37 percent in five of its six games.
“Our bigs have to finish,” Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber said. “They were a little bigger. They did a good job on the ball screens and they switched to other things. We just didn’t read it really well. But then we hurried and rushed some shots in.”
The game was close for a period early on. Kansas State was able to cut the Michigan’s lead to two points with 5:29 left to play in the first half when senior center Jordan Henriquez (eight points) hit a jumper to cap a 9-1 Wildcats run, but the Wolverines pulled away again.
“We spotted them six [points] to start and spotted them eight or so to start the second half,” Weber said. “Now you’re just playing catch-up the rest of the way.
* Pittsburgh beat Delaware 85-59 in the consolation game despite 28 points from Fightin’ Blue Hens guard Devon Saddler.
Pittsburgh had five scorers in double figures, led by forward Talib Zanna (18 points).
“I was really happy with how we responded,” Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon said.