Champaign problems: Johnson enjoys return, Michigan dominates Illini

CHAMPAIGN — This game was literally a meeting of Big Ten giants, two teams with tall front lines that could protect the paint and play physical.

The overall theme was nastiness. The Illinois student section was out to make the night miserable for Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., who transferred to Ann Arbor after spending his freshman season with the Illini. There were a number of profane chants directed toward Johnson, especially early in the game.

Eventually, though, Michigan's physicality shut down the powerful Illinois offense. The No. 3 Wolverines pulled away late for an 84-70 victory, which clinched the regular-season Big Ten title and also snapped the Illini's nine-game win streak in the series.

“To beat a 1 (seed), that physicality, that nastiness, that grit, that fight — that's on me,” Illini coach Brad Underwood said. “That's not on them, that's on me. I have to do a much better job of getting us much nastier in those situations.”

Johnson enjoyed his return to State Farm Arena, finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds. He quieted the Orange Krush pretty effectively.

“I don't really get into all that personal stuff like they do,” said Johnson, who committed to Illinois as a sophomore at Thornton High School. “I saw all the stuff on Twitter. Somebody leaked my phone number this morning, so I got as bunch of everything.

“I just do a good job of ignoring everything. I'm here to play basketball. I know all that outside noise is really nonsense. It doesn't matter at all.”

Just to prove he was all about love, Johnson finished a sentence as he spoke to reporters and yelled out to Illini center Tomislav Ivisic, who walked out of the other locker room.

“All right, Tommy. Where's my hug?” Johnson said. Ivisic shrugged his shoulders. “No hug?” Johnson responded.

Michigan is an unusual team, because it offers Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg as a modern-day Bruise Brothers but caps off the front line with sure-handed 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, who hit 8 of 9 shots for 19 points.

Lendeborg (16 points) made a point of guarding Illini freshman Keaton Wagler all over the court. Wagler played a patient game and finished with a team-high 23 points. But Michigan used its size to effectively squelch Illinois' 3-point shooting. The home team went 9 for 29 from long range, and a few of those came in the waning minutes when the outcome was decided.

“Their physicality bothered us,” Wagler said. “We can't let a team come out here on our home court and bully us the way that they did.”

During pregame warmups Lendeborg put on Johnson's No. 21 jersey. He could have been showing support or maybe trying to absorb some of the insults.

“They didn't have enough jerseys for the rest of the team, so I was the one guy,” Lendeborg said. “The message is we all love 'Rez. They never should have let him go. That's what our message was.”

Michigan led 38-31 at halftime, then got the first bucket after intermission. Playing from behind wasn't ideal, but the Illini were still a 3-point flurry from being right back in it. Instead, the Wolverines pulled away by hitting three in a row from long distance, two by freshman Trey McKenney, to build a 21-point lead with 6:49 left.

“I thought Morez, first half, was the best player on the court,” Underwood said. “Second half, Mara was better than good.”

The loss dropped Illinois (22-7, 13-5) into fourth place in the Big Ten, one loss more than Nebraska and Michigan State, with two games left.