Growth evident in several areas during a 91-60 Michigan win over Pitt

Pitt isn’t the best team Michigan will face in the non-conference portion of the schedule. In fact, the Panthers have a long way to go just to be competitive. But Michigan didn’t take any prisoners in a 91-60 win, dominating the second half and playing unselfish and disciplined basketball. 

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It started with junior big man Hunter Dickinson, as it usually does. Only this time, with the Panthers focusing on taking him out of the game, he was the catalyst and assist man rather than the scorer. Pitt coach Jeff Capel decided to double him in the second half after Dickinson scored 8 in the first stanza, and the junior responded by finding his teammates repeatedly. 

They had to pick their poison, Capel said. Michigan responded by shooting lights out in the second half, finishing 42.1 percent from long range. 

“It’s interesting, because if you look at the two games they played, they haven’t shot the ball well from three,” Capel said. “I think coming into this game Hunter was like 78 percent from the floor. If you take his stats away, I think they’re 39 percent. Obviously, there’s a lot of attention on him. 

“Those other guys stepped up tonight. Jett [Howard] had been making shots on a consistent basis in the two games, and the one exhibition against Ferris State they had. But the rest of those guys, they hadn’t. Joey Baker, obviously, that’s what he does. We know the reputation. But those guys stepped up. [Kobe] Bufkin was 0 for 6 coming in — he made one tonight …”

In fact, Bufkin played the best all-around game of any Wolverine, dialed in on defense and aggressive on offense. He added some arc to his shot on his first triple and knocked it down, took it to the rim, and provided a great assist to Dickinson that got him fired up. 

He ran to the bench to smack his coach’s hand after the pass, and it brought a huge smile to Juwan Howard’s face. 

“It’s great to have a team that’s very unselfish,” Howard said after the game. “Guys that share the game and feed life into one another. That comes with that … a lot of trust. Trust is one of core values within our culture. 

“I’m not surprised by it [with Dickinson], because he’s been like that from day one when I watched him in high school. One of the things that stuck out was his IQ and also his unselfishness. Being that size, to see the game, be able to make plays … everyone doesn’t have that gift. But he’s put work in.”

He’s also got more help. Baker went 4-for-5 from long range to lead the way, but he wasn’t alone. Jett Howard knocked down a few, including a four-point play, and the Wolverines valued the basketball. They only had 6 turnovers all game despite playing a a high pace. 

Frosh Dug McDaniel shined in the second half, all over the floor in forcing the tempo.

“Dug is just scratching the surface,” Howard said. “There’s a lot more in there with him; a lot more growth. It’s nice to see how the entire team has trusted in our guards … they put in the work.”

Jaelin Llewellyn is still getting comfortable, but he, too, controlled the tempo and got the team into the offense. He scored four straight at one point, too, in looking for his shot. 

There will be bigger tests to come. On this night, though, the Wolverines took a step forward and showed their great potential.