LOS ANGELES — This one was easy.

After reaching the NCAA tournament’s round of 16 with an improbable buzzer-beater, Michigan shot 62 percent from the floor and routed Texas A&M 99-72 in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in six years.

The Wolverines (31-7) dominated from start to finish, hitting 14 3-pointers – 10 in the first half – and extending their winning streak to 12 games.

Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman had 24 points, Moe Wagner added 21 points and Charles Matthews had 18 points as third-seeded Michigan had five players in double figures.

The Wolverines were good in the first half and even better in the second. The rout was on by halftime with Michigan leading 52-28 after shooting 57 percent from the floor. In the second half, the Wolverines improved to 68 percent from the floor.

The Aggies (22-13) never made a run, going long stretches without a basket in the first half while Michigan was scoring on nearly every trip down the floor.

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Tyler Davis led the seventh-seeded Aggies with 24 points.

Michigan won its second-round game to reach the Sweet 16 on freshman Jordan Poole’s long 3 in the closing seconds against Houston.

In this one, Michigan led by 29 points after an 8-0 run near the end of the first half. The Wolverines averaged nine 3-pointers per game coming in, and exceeded that by the break.

Michigan held the Aggies to 12-of-32 shooting from the floor by double-teaming A&M and getting hands in shooters’ faces. The Wolverines had eight steals, led by Zavier Simpson with five.

The Aggies committed 10 turnovers –with five by T.J. Starks – in the half.

NOTES

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CONNECTICUT: Rhode Island Coach Dan Hurley agreed to become the coach at Connecticut to succeed Kevin Ollie, who was fired this month.

Hurley was 113-82 in six seasons with the Rams, who went 26-8 this year before losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Duke. It was the second straight trip to the tournament for the Rams, who won the regular-season Atlantic-10 championship for the first time.

MIAMI: Sophomore guard Bruce Brown Jr. decided to declare for the NBA draft but won’t retain an agent, leaving him the option of continuing his college career.

Players have until April 22 to enter the draft and until June 11 to withdraw. The draft is June 21.

EVANSVILLE: Boston Celtics assistant Walter McCarty is returning to college ball as the school’s head coach.

McCarty will replace Marty Simmons, who was fired this month after going 184-175 over 11 seasons during which the Purple Aces failed to make the NCAA or NIT tournaments. Evansville finished 17-15 this season, losing in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference tourney.

COLORADO STATE: Niko Medved, a former assistant coach at the school, is returning to lead the men’s basketball program after spending a year as Drake’s head coach.

Medved replaces Larry Eustachy, who stepped down last month.

PURDUE: Coach Matt Painter has all but ruled out center Isaac Haas for the Sweet 16 after Haas fractured his right elbow in the first-round NCAA tournament win.


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