The Wolverines delivered on Sunday, beating Ohio State 77-69 at Crisler Center and protecting home court in a must-win game. As Michigan fights to get into the NCAA Tournament discussion, Sunday’s win was the ideal start to a three-game homestand. Hunter Dickinson led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Kobe Bufkin tallied 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
The game started strong for Michigan, who led by at least seven for the final 13 minutes. Ohio State managed to trim the 11-point deficit to five at the break, but Michigan responded with a big run in the second half to take the lead and never looked back. Jett Howard and Joey Baker each added 16 and 8 points, respectively, and Michigan shot 49 percent from the field compared to Ohio State’s 41 percent. Ohio State stayed in the game thanks to protecting the ball and hitting the offensive glass, but Michigan’s success on the defensive end was the difference.
Michigan hadn’t won consecutive games since starting 2021 with wins over Maryland (Jan. 1) and Penn State (Jan. 4). Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 22 points; Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing each had 14. Michigan now owns a winning streak for the first time in a month and moved into a five-way tie for third place in the Big Ten. As Michigan continues its three-game homestand with visits from Nebraska (Wednesday) and Indiana (Saturday), the Wolverines will look to maintain the momentum that started with Sunday’s win.
Source: www.mlive.com