BLOOMINGTON — Kelvin Grady had been patient.

The sophomore point guard, who started 25 games as a freshman, came off the bench in all 14 of the Michigan men’s basketball team’s games this season.

But then an opportunity presented itself. In last night’s 72-66 overtime win at Indiana, Grady got the start over fifth-year senior point guard David Merritt.

“Sometimes (Michigan) coach (John Beilein) has different ideas in his head,” Grady said. “I’d love to start, but I wanted to win. ... It felt good. I wanted to lead the team for him.”

Merritt couldn’t practice yesterday because of an intestinal virus and saw limited action last night.

Beilein has said he likes the spark Grady provides off the bench. The Grand Rapids native is fifth on the team this season in minutes per game.

In 35 minutes last night, Grady controlled the floor, especially on the fast break. He connected on two 3-pointers and led Michigan with four assists.

A quiet six points won’t impress anyone who looks at the box score, but Grady's game is about more than just a stat line.

A talkative person, Grady is known among teammates as a vocal leader — something the Wolverines relied on last night during their 20-point comeback.

“At halftime, we’re down 17 and he just wouldn’t stop talking, telling us to believe,” said sophomore forward Manny Harris, who had 17 points. “Some people lead vocally, some people lead by example. He did both of them tonight.”

With 4:58 to play in regulation, Grady reentered the game and stayed on the court until just before the overtime buzzer sounded. With Beilein yelling instructions from the bench, Grady called at least three plays on the floor.

“He did them beautifully,” Beilein said.

Sometimes criticized for his inconsistencies and occasional streakiness, Grady has improved his assist-to-turnover ratio in recent weeks.

But with just over 12 seconds left in overtime, his old on-the-court demons seemed to be returning. Grady brought the ball up the floor and stepped on the line adjacent to the Michigan bench, turning the ball over to Indiana.

“I definitely smiled about it,” Grady said with a laugh. “But I thought in the back of my head, when we go back and watch film, Coach Beilein probably will rewind it a couple times and make fun of me a little bit.”

First timers: Last night’s game marked the first in Bloomington for Beilein and all but two Wolverine players. Beilein has 498 Division-I victories but coached his first game at Assembly Hall last night.

“It was one place I hadn’t played at in the Big Ten, so I was anxious to see what it looked like,” fifth-year senior C.J. Lee said. “We came to our shootaround today, and it’s a great atmosphere. It’s a place you see on TV all the time.”

Junior forward DeShawn Sims had previously played on the court once and senior forward Jevohn Shepherd had twice. In those games, they combined for seven total points.

Assembly Hall is one of the most storied college basketball arenas and one of the hardest places for opposing teams to play. Michigan is 12-60 all-time in Bloomington.

Another role player: Sophomore forward Manny Harris is averaging 32.8 minutes per game. But when he takes a breather, it’s Lee who comes on the court.

Like Grady, Lee's vocal leadership is a big reason for Michigan's turnaround this season. As a fifth-year senior and co-captain, he provides motivation on and off the bench.

But last night, his minutes were more valuable than usual. He hit two 3-pointers late in the second half to cut Michigan’s deficit to single digits.

"Huge play by him," Beilein said of Lee. "He's really been a captain for so long. ... His defense is something that we need."

One and done: With the Big Ten’s expanded 18-game schedule, last night’s game marked the only regular-season matchup between Michigan and Indiana. Unlike in football, there are no protected rivalries in the Big Ten. The Wolverines will also face Michigan State just once this year.