Live blog: No. 4 Michigan takes on Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden in NIT Tip-Off

Michigan invades New York tonight to take on Pittsburgh in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals at Madison Square Garden. Joseph Tobianski | AnnArbor.com

NEW YORK --

Michigan 67, Pitt 62
-- Final
More in a bit.

Michigan 63, Pitt 60
-- 10.9, second half
Pitt won't quite go away -- Michigan has led by as many as 9, but will have to make its free throws down the stretch here.

Michigan 48, Pitt 44
-- 7:03, second half
Pitt has no answer for Michigan's 1-3-1, and the Wolverines have found their rhythm at the other end of the floor, too. Glenn Robinson III's 18-footer caps off a 9-0 Michigan run that's spanned four and a half minutes. Wolverines with their largest lead of the game.

Pitt 43, Michigan 38
-- 11:39, second half
Michigan just can't get over the hump here against a rugged Pitt team. The Panthers still don't have a player in double figures, but Michigan just can't make a deep shot to save its life. The Wolverines are now 1 of 10 from 3-point range. That, without question, has been the story.

Pitt 38, Michigan 35
-- 15:50, second half
Trey Burke's starting to warm up and Michigan has switched to its 1-3-1 defense for the first time this season. Burke 5 of 10 for 13 points, Nik Stauskas now with 9 points. But Pitt remains in front.

Pitt 33, Michigan 29
-- halftime
Pitt went on a 9-0 run to lead by as many as eight, but Michigan scores the final four of the first half to get back into it. Trey Burke hits a fall-away jumper at the buzzer, he finishes the first half with 9 points and 3 assists. Nik Stauskas has 7 points. Michigan shooting 11 of 23 from the floor.

Pitt 27, Michigan 25
-- 2:59, first half
Michigan slowly chipping away, making shots now. But Pitt is 5 of 12 from downtown, and that's been the difference. Michigan just 1 of 6 from 3-point range. Burke leads Michigan with 7 points and 5 assists. Hardaway and Stauskas both have 5. Pitt is REALLY deep, eight players have scored already for the Panthers.

Pitt 21, Michigan 20
-- 6:00, first half
Michigan took a brief lead on a steal and bucket by Mitch McGary, and was able to draw back within one after a coast-to-coast layup and the foul from Hardaway. Michigan has hit 4 of its last 5 shots from the floor, we've got a game here.

Pitt 14, Michigan 11
-- 9:46, first half
Michigan struggling to get anything to fall early, as the Wolverines have started out just 5 of 14 from the floor. Michigan is 1 of 5 from 3-point range. But, Michigan is defending -- as Pitt's just 6 of 15 from the field. Lots of ugliness early.

Pitt 7, Michigan 2
-- 15:23 first half
The Wolverines have started 1 of 5 from the floor early, not a lot of movement on offense -- a lot of watching Trey Burke right now. Ugly start for both teams, Pitt takes the early advantage. Nik Stauskas off the bench and in for Matt Vogrich.

• Michigan going with the same starting five, as usual, in this one -- it'll be Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., Matt Vogrich, Glenn Robinson III and Jordan Morgan.

• FYI, Delaware and Kansas State went into a bit of a delay, so this game MAY start a bit later than 9:30 p.m.

Michigan's first real challenge has finally arrived.

The fourth-ranked Wolverines will set foot on the big stage under the bright lights Wednesday when they tangle with Pittsburgh (9:30 p.m., ESPN2) in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Michigan (3-0) has yet to face a serious test on the young season, scoring three wins by an average of 35 points over Slippery Rock, IUPUI and Cleveland State.

Pittsburgh comes in at 4-0, and isn't ranked inside the Top 25 in either major poll, but the Panthers are a major-confernece opponent -- something Michigan hasn't seen yet this season.

Win tonight and Michigan punches a ticket to the NIT championship game Friday.

Follow along with MLive.com for updates throughout tonight's game and join the conversation by participating in the comments section below.