Michigan basketball thrashes Southern Utah, 87-50

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines basketball blew out Southern Utah Saturday night at Crisler Center, 87-50, to move to 7-4 on the season.

Here is a recap of how the contest unfolded.

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First Half

Michigan sophomore center Hunter Dickinson drew first blood on the Wolverines’ third shot, with a long two to give his team a 2-0 lead with just over 18 minutes to play in the half.

Fifth-year senior guard DeVante’ Jones heated up after that, scoring seven of Michigan’s next nine points, which included a three from the top of the key during a stretch in which the team hit five-straight field goals. Freshman wing Caleb Houstan chipped in with a one-handed short jumper. The Maize and Blue held an 11-7 edge at the under-16 media timeout with 15:34 to go before the break.

Southern Utah fifth-year senior guard Dre Martin hit a corner three-pointer to cut the Wolverines’ lead to 11-10 at 14:40, before Dickinson answered with a baseline spin move and dunk and Jones hit a three on the next possession to give Michigan a 16-0 lead at the 13:26 mark.

Jones found freshman forward Moussa Diabate with a lob feed for a dunk to give the Wolverines a 20-10 lead at the 12:14 mark. Houstan knifed through the Thunderbirds’ defense and got to the rim for an and-one and made free throw to make it 23-10 with just under 12 minutes to play.

Jones’ third triple of the night on as many attempts came at the 8:37 mark and made it 31-14, before SU fifth-year senior guard John Knight III answered with a two to make it 31-16 at the under-eight media timeout. Jones had 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field and two assists at that point, leading all scorers.

The Wolverines’ bench provided a nice spark, and was the catalyst for a 10-0 run. Sophomore forward Terrance Williams II checked in and provided a spark, nailing a three off a feed from Jones, before freshman guard Frankie Collins hit freshman guard Kobe Bufkin on a long bounce pass in transition — Bufkin finished through contact and a foul, made the free throw and gave the Maize and Blue a 37-16 lead with 5:20 before halftime.

SU called timeout after two-straight Dickinson buckets, including an emphatic two-handed slam. Michigan led at the 3:40 mark, 41-16. The Thunderbirds hadn’t scored in over four minutes and Michigan was on a 13-2 run at that point.

Dickinson scored eight of Michigan’s final 12 points of the half, and the Thunderbirds capped off the stanza shooting 2-of-14. Michigan held a 49-20 lead at the break.

The Maize and Blue made 21 of their 34 field goals and five of their 12 triple tries at the break. Meanwhile, SU connected on just nine of its 29 looks.

Second Half

Dickinson stayed hot, scoring six of Michigan’s first eight points of the half, before Jones found Diabate twice for dunks, including one in transition that gave the Wolverines a 61-28 edge at the 13:45 mark. Michigan outscored the Thunderbirds, 12-8, in the first seven minutes of the half, despite starting out just 5-of-13 from the field. SU began the stanza making just two of its first 11 shots with three turnovers.

Collins checked in and found Diabate for an alley-oop right out of the media timeout at the 12:54 mark, opening up a 63-28 edge. SU went on a 5-0 surge behind a Knight III jumper and an and-one drive with a made free throw by senior forward Maizen Fausett.

Some sloppy play ensured, with both teams combining for four turnovers from the 10-minute mark until there was eight minutes remaining.

A trio of young Michigan guards — Bufkin, Collins and sophomore Zeb Jackson — each made a layup while SU stayed on pace and kept the U-M lead at 30 points, 69-39 with 6:46 to play, at which point Wolverine head man Juwan Howard called timeout.

Bufkin finished his layup through contact for an and-one at the 5:49 mark. He made the free throw to five the Wolverines a 72-41 lead. Howard began loosening up the rotation, with sophomore guard Jace Howard seeing time.

Williams found Jackson for a three with just over four minutes to play, extending the Maize and Blue’s lead to 75-43. But the Thunderbirds had made five of their last six shots at that point, continuing to fight back.

Jackson hit his second triple of the game and half with just under three minutes to go, with the assist coming from Howard. SU sophomore guard Amound Anderson answered with a corner three of his own. Michigan led, 80-47, at the 2:25 mark.

Fifth-year senior forward Jaron Faulds had a put-back layup, before senior guard Adrien Nunez made a jumper to highlight the performances from the Wolverines’ reserves.

Michigan dribbled it out with the final score standing at 87-50.