LSU and Michigan traded blows Monday in a largely thrilling second-round matchup.

But, as the clock wound down, the No. 1 Wolverines had the few more clutch shots and one final run to end the No. 8 Tigers' season, 86-78, in the Round of 32.

"We knew it was a big game playing against Michigan on one of the biggest stages you want to play in," junior guard Javonte Smart said. "I just want to give it to Michigan. They came to fight. We came to fight. But our energy wore off... and they just outplayed us at the end."

LSU (19-10) had come out seemingly firing on all cylinders early before a fast-switching and -closing defensive effort and the sharp-shooting of freshman guard Cam Thomas.

Thomas scored 12 points early on 5-for-6 shooting to spark an early 19-12 advantage.

The Tigers would lead for nearly 18 minutes of the first half before Michigan (22-4) finally closed the gap and overtook them in the final minute to head to the locker room ahead, 43-42.

"I thought it was a great game, a high-level game," coach Will Wade said. "The game got away from us, I think, at the end of the first half. We had a pretty good working margin. We got off to a great start and had a great working margin, and then to be down one at half."

LSU returned to the floor with renewed bursts of energy in the second half, including runs of 8-0 and 12-3.

But the Tigers could never push its edge past six points.

And, on each occasion, Michigan struck back.

"We could just never string together enough stops to make a run and to expand our lead," Wade said. "We could never get the lead above 10 in the first half. The second half, after we got the six point lead, we gave up a couple 3's, we missed a floater in the lane. And we just could never sustain what we were doing."

The Wolverines took control for good with a 14-1 run midway through the half during a five-minute stretch during which LSU went 0-for-7 from the floor, including a couple opportunities in the lane, and got out-rebounded 6-2.

"We played two guys 40 minutes," coach Will Wade said of his star guards. "I thought their run coincided with us having those guys out there a long time at the end of the first half. And then in the second half, we kind of ran out of gas there in the last 10 minutes. So I do think that probably had something to do with it."

The Tigers cooled all the way down to 27-for-69 (39.1 percent) from the floor and 6-for-21 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, Michigan just kept hitting en route to a 28-for-52 (53.8 percent) shooting performance, including 10-for-25 (40 percent) from beyond the arc.

The Wolverines turned a 63-58 deficit with about 10:30 remaining into a 72-64 lead with under six minutes to play.

And, by the time LSU finally started to break out of its funk, the pressure was already mounting.

"During the middle of the second half, we felt like we were doing a lot of one-on-one ball," Smart said. "But that's what we've been doing all year. So we just tried to pass to ball to one another and continue to play as a team.

"We hit some shots, but they hit some big shots. They hit a couple big shots, and we were just trying to get some stops on the defensive end, really, because we knew we were gonna score the ball. We just needed to get stops."

Instead, the teams continued to trade baskets, with Michigan going ahead by as many as 10 and never allowing LSU back closer than six to survive and advance to the Sweet 16.

"I think just the intensity that we brought on the defensive end," guard Eli Brooks said. "We limited them to one shot and we made everything hard for them in those four minutes and rebounded the ball and got out and ran in transition. So I think the defense really sparked it, sparked our pace and sparked our offense."

Brooks and fellow guard Chaundee Brown Jr. led the Wolverines with 21 points each on combined 13-for-20 shooting, including 8-for-15 from beyond the arc.

And big man Hunter Dickinson added 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

"I said in the beginning of the year, this is the deepest team I've ever been a part of," Brooks said. "We have a lot of shooters and a post presence like Hunter and Austin (Davis). They draw a lot of attention, so you get a lot of open shots."

Thomas finished with a game-high 30 points for LSU — 19 coming in the first half and another four in the possessions with time quickly getting away from the Tigers.

Smart helped keep the team within striking distance with 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own, despite also battling a cold stretch from beyond the arc for much of the second half.

"He stepped up and played great," Wade said. "He was tremendous, especially in the second half. He made plays. He had six assists and one turnover. He did a great job controlling the game and controlling our team, and he was phenomenal. So, very, very proud of him, and he just capped off a great season."

LSU falls just shy of its first back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances since 1986 and 1987.

Michigan will face No. 4 Florida State next weekend.