BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- A year ago Notre Dame's V.J. Beachem hardly played in the Fighting Irish's deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

On Friday in the second round of the East Region at the Barclays Center, Beachem was the key contributor in Notre Dame's 70-63 win over Michigan. The junior forward was 7 of 7 from the floor, including 4 of 4 from 3-point range.

Sixth-seeded Notre Dame (22-11) faces Stephen F. Austin in the second round on Sunday.

Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman led 11th-seeded Michigan (23-13) with 15 points.

Michigan's Zak Irvin missed a potential tying 3-pointer from the top of the key with 13 seconds to play, and the Wolverines were forced to foul. The Irish sank all four free throws to preserve the win.

Michigan made just two of its last nine field-goal attempts.

"Down the stretch we didn't collectively get enough stops in a row," said Michigan's Derrick Walton. "And that was all the difference in the game basically.

"They (Notre Dame) were getting stops, and we weren't. They were making shots, and we weren't. That's pretty much what it boiled down to. We didn't make the necessary stops down the stretch that would hold them off.

Michigan led the entire first half, taking a 41-29 lead into the half. The Wolverines shot 50 percent (7-of-14) from beyond the arc in the first half.

Notre Dame drew even at 48-48 with 12:17 remaining in the game on a 3-pointer from freshman forward Matt Ryan.

The Irish took their first lead, 51-48, on a 3-pointer from Beachem at the 9:26 mark, but Michigan ended a six-minute scoring drought when Abdur-Rahkman swished a 3-pointer and Irvin followed with a trey for a 54-51 Michigan lead.

Beachem's 3-pointer, his second in three minutes, tied the game at 56-56 for Notre Dame with 6:12 to play.

Beachem got hot down the stretch for Notre Dame. He snapped a 59-59 tie by scoring five straight points in 34 seconds for a 64-59 Fighting Irish edge with 3:01 left.

"It was really no moment that stood out for me," said Beachem of his shooting performance. "I just tried to knock down the shots. My teammates were really finding me.

"Matt Farrell told me before the game he was going to find me and he did."

Beachem averaged only 14.6 minutes last season when Notre Dame made it to the Elite Eight before falling to Kentucky 68-66. This season Beachem turned it around, averaging 11.3 points in 30 minutes of action each night.

"I'm really proud of him (Beachem)," boasted Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. "A year ago, he didn't have a very good postseason. He didn't even play in the NCAA Tournament. He really struggled.

"For him to deliver like he did tonight when we really need him.... It's a great kid who's a junior and has grown and matured."

A layup from Bonzie Colson with 1:36 to play pushed Notre Dame's lead to 66-61, then Irvin scored for Michigan to make it 66-63 with 1:13 left.

NOTES: Michigan didn't arrive in Brooklyn until 4 a.m. on Thursday after defeating Tulsa in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday. "We had the latest wakeup call ever," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "Noon." ... Caris Levert remains Michigan's top scorer with a 16.5 average despite not playing the last 19 games of the season because of a lower left leg injury. He announced March 1 that he would not be returning this season. ... This is the third time in program history Notre Dame has earned the sixth seed. ... The Fighting Irish are making their 35th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, tied for eighth-most in tournament history.