LaVell Blanchard hit a career-high five three-pointers and scored a season-high 26 points Thursday as Michigan beat Northwestern 72-51 in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.

The Wolverines (11-17), who lost in the tourney’s first round the past two years, advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals against Ohio State (20-7), the No. 2 seed and one of four regular-season co-champions.

Blanchard, whose previous highs this season were 20 points against both Eastern Michigan and Northwestern, had 17 points in the first half, when the 10th-seeded Wolverines led by as many as 13 and never trailed.

The Wildcats (16-13), whose No. 7 seed was their highest in the five-year history of the conference tournament, were hurt by poor starts in both halves.

They missed their first six shots at the beginning of the game and fell behind 18-6 in the first six minutes. Blanchard had nine of those points, including his first two three-pointers.

Led by Winston Blake and Tavaras Hardy, however, Northwestern pulled within four late in the half before two more three-pointers by Blanchard put the Wolverines up 36-28 at the break.
Then Northwestern hit just one of its first seven shots at the start of the second half as Michigan again began pulling away. Two baskets by Blanchard, including his fifth three-pointer, gave the Wolverines their biggest lead up to that point at 47-30 before the final Northwestern comeback.
Hardy, who led Northwestern with 17 points, hit two three-pointers and Jason Burke hit another three to help pull Northwestern to 49-44, but the Wildcats couldn’t come any closer. Michigan outscored Northwestern 18-2 over a five-minute span and took its biggest lead at 70-48 with under two minutes to go.
Chris Young added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Michigan, while Blake finished with 12 points for the Wildcats.