Michigan basketball takes down rival Ohio State: Recap, box score
Michigan basketball (13-10, 7-5 B1G) grabbed another critical victory on Sunday afternoon in a 77-69 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes (11-12, 3-9 B1G). Every victory is critical for the Wolverines at this point of the season with their NCAA Tournament hopes dwindling. A “Blue Out” win over a hated rival was just what the doctor ordered.
Junior center Hunter Dickinson was in top form, leading all scorers with 26 points and adding 11 rebounds. Freshman wing Jett Howard and sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin had 16 and 13 points, respectively. Bufkin added 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
Next up for Michigan is a home date against Nebraska on Wednesday night in Ann Arbor. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Below is the game recap of Sunday’s victory.
First half
Michigan won the opening tip and got the scoring started early thanks to a 3-pointer from freshman point guard Dug McDaniel at the 19:38 mark. Sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin matched him with a 3-pointer of his own, pushing the early lead to 6-2. A 6-point run from Dickinson helped Michigan out to a 12-6 lead at the under-16 media timeout. The Buckeyes were able to get some of it back on a 5-0 run to narrow the deficit to 12-11 at the 13:38 mark. Michigan fired back with a 5-point outburst of its own on a Bufkin free throw and jumpers from Dickinson and Jett Howard.
OSU got 3 back on a shot from Eugene Brown III before another Michigan run, this time rattling off 7-straight points. Michigan led 24-14 with 9:50 left in the half. Five Ohio State free throw makes were split by a Bufkin layup, narrowing things to 26-19. OSU was able to get the deficit to 29-23 at the 7-minute mark, but Michigan answered with another 5-0 run on a layup from junior forward Terrance Williams and a 3-pointer from Jett Howard, taking a 34-23 lead and forcing an OSU timeout with 6 minutes to go.
The game of runs would continue, though. OSU went on an 8-0 spurt to get within 3 points at 34-31 with 4:19 left in the half. Bufkin and Buckeye point guard Bruce Thornton traded baskets before a 5-0 Michigan run. The Wolverines led 41-33 with 1:02 to go before a Justice Sueng triple had the score at 41-36 at the half.
Second half
The rivals would punch back and forth early in the half, but Michigan would slightly extend its lead by the under-16 media timeout. The Wolverines were up 48-42 thanks to a 3-pointer from Bufkin before an offensive interference call at the other end of the floor. Dickinson started taking over from there, scoring all 6 Michigan points that came next in helping build a 54-47 lead with 12:52 to go. Graduate wing Joey Baker would help extend the lead with a layup, pushing the score to 56-47 at the under-12 media timeout.
Michigan’s 9-point advantage would remain through the next media timeout, leading 61-52 at the 7:54 mark. A 3-pointer from Baker helped extend the lead to 64-52, matched by OSU’s Thornton at the other end. The Wolverines rattled off a 4-0 run on two Dickinson free throws and a jumper from McDaniel to go up 13 points, their largest lead of the game. Michigan would lead 70-59 at the final media timeout (3:55).
Free throws from Williams and Jett Howard helped the Wolverines keep pace with a 74-63 lead with 1:01 to go. Michigan would close the game out at the free throw line before a late basket by the Buckeyes. The Wolverines walked out with a 77-69 victory.
Michigan basketball vs. Ohio State: Final box score, stats
