INDIANAPOLIS -- It started early — the mouths running and yapping, physical play between Ohio State and Michigan intense throughout the Buckeyes’ 68-61 win over the Wolverines.

The jawing started early, when Michigan sophomore guard Darius Morris said the Ohio State bench started telling Buckeyes on the floor to leave Morris open for 3-pointers.

Then he hit one and gave the bench a signal with three fingers.

“I hit a three and the whole Ohio State bench was like ‘Oh yeah, yeah, we’ll take that. We’ll take that. He won’t hit that,’” Morris said. “So I turned around and gave them a little ‘three’ sign.

"Coach (Thad) Matta was right there and kind of in shock, but (it was) just the emotions of the game.”

Eventually, the officials tried to keep the game in control. Official Ed Hightower talked with both Morris and Michigan coach John Beilein to keep the point guard under control.

“I was definitely hyped up,” Morris said. “So that’s all Hightower said, just ‘Tone it down. Tone it down.’”

The contentiousness continued in the second half, when Michigan’s Jordan Morgan and Ohio State’s William Buford had to be separated by players and coaches after a brief physical altercation.

“Nothing serious,” Morgan said. “Just a little talk.”

For Michigan, it was the second time in three games it had a minor kerfuffle during a game. Against Michigan State, Morris and Kalin Lucas jawed at each other at the end of the game.

Ohio State used the Morgan-Buford dustup to ignite a 16-0 run that broke the game open.

“At times I think we needed that,” Ohio State senior David Lighty said. “After that we went on a little run and picked it up a little more.

“…I guess you could say that, especially for me, going back to middle school days, when I would get mad, I would always play better. It’s something that competitors do.”

Selection Special Michigan will have a NCAA tournament selection show party beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday at Crisler Arena. Admission is free and Beilein will speak to the crowd before the 6 p.m. start time of the selection special on CBS.

Michigan will be one of the schools that has a camera crew in attendance, to get a reaction shot for both CBS and the Big Ten Network.

As of now, Michigan is in the NCAA tournament by most prognostications.

Parking is available in the Blue Lot of Crisler Arena and the public can enter Crisler at Gates A and E.

Calling the game When Tim Hardaway Jr. hit the 3-point shot against Illinois on Friday to send Michigan into Saturday’s semifinal against Ohio State, there was a man on press row more conflicted than all the others.

Tim Hardaway Sr. had held it together calling his son’s game for Compass Media on Friday, but that moment was the toughest part.

“It was tough,” Hardaway Sr. said prior to Michigan’s semifinal against Ohio State. “It was tough for me because I had to be politically correct and not overly excited, had to be professional.

“When it gets to winning time, that’s kind of tough because you want them to do good, want them to do right and stuff.”

Hardaway Jr. did a lot of right for Michigan in its 60-55 win over Illinois. He scored 16 points, including that go-ahead 3-pointer that had his dad pumping his fist under the table on press row while calmly calling the action over the radio airwaves.

Hardaway Sr. was in the Michigan locker room following the Ohio State loss.

Michael Rothstein covers Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.