Champaign, Ill. — And then there were three.
No. 2 Michigan continued its winning ways and joined an exclusive club in the process.
With a scrappy 79-69 victory over Illinois on Thursday at State Farm Center, the 2018-19 Wolverines tied the program record for best start to a season with 16 consecutive wins, a mark only reached by the 1985-86 and 2012-13 teams.
Michigan will have a shot to set the record at home at 7:30 p.m. Sunday against Northwestern.
Junior guard Zavier Simpson had 16 points and eight assists and freshman forward had 15 points and eight rebounds for Michigan (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten), which finished with 14 turnovers but only committed three in the second half.