Michigan to be without key contributor against Ohio State on Sunday
The Michigan Wolverines were just dealt a huge blow ahead of Sunday’s regular season finale against Ohio State. Michigan center Hunter Dickinson will not be available for the game due to a “stomach ailment.”
“Wolverine center Hunter Dickinson will not be available for the Ohio State game due to a stomach ailment,” Michigan tweeted.
Dickinson has started 28 games this season, and is averaging 32 minutes per game. He is posting 18.4 points per game, along with 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks.
Michigan’s starting five against Ohio State without Dickinson is DeVante’ Jones, Moussa Diabate, Caleb Houstan, Brandon Johns Jr., and Eli Brooks. The game is a big one, as Michigan is still fighting to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Michigan enters the game 16-13 overall and 10-9 against Big Ten opponents.
While Michigan will be without Dickinson, Ohio State will be without a couple of contributors, too. Kyle Young was listed as doubtful for the contest while Zed Key was listed as a game-time decision.
“Ohio State’s Kyle Young (illness) is doubtful for today’s game against Michigan, per Chris Holtmann,” tweeted CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. “Zed Key (ankle) is a game-time decision. Both DNP in last game. Young averages 8.2 PPG and 4.9 RPG.Key averages 8.3 PPG and 5.4 RPG.”
Young is indeed out for the Buckeyes, while Key took part in warmups but was not in the starting lineup.
Michigan icon Rudy Tomjanovich sees a lot of potential in Dickinson
Michigan basketball icon Rudy Tomjanovich spoke earlier in the season about Dickinson, where he raved about his talents. Tomjanovich, who worked in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, went in-depth on Dickinson’s future as an NBA center.
“I like him,” Tomjanovich said, via The Wolverine’s Anthony Broome. “I scouted him last year when I was working for Minnesota for a couple of drafts and was impressed by him. If it was a different era, he would be right there at the top. But the way the game’s played in the NBA, it’s hard to really get — they just don’t use big men that much.
“It’s not easy when you have a big man and everybody knows you want to try and throw it in. They can set the defenses now. In the old days when we had all these different rules and had Hakeem, we worked every day on how to get the ball up and pass it in. It takes a lot of time to have a good inside game. now they changed the defensive rules where you can have a guy upfront and behind. You can put three guys on him before he gets the ball. It gets harder because they can do different things. The big guys will make a comeback.”