Michigan basketball rallies late to beat Northwestern, 72-70

ANN ARBOR, MI — Michigan and Northwestern traded blows early and often in Wednesday night’s game, an ugly, 72-70 U-M win. The victory improved the Wolverines to 10-7 overall, 4-3 in conference play nonetheless heading into a Saturday game at Michigan State. 

The Wolverines got a boost early from a still-hot Caleb Houstan. He scored five of the first seven Michigan points, including a triple from the corner. He also hit a two-point bomb from the top. 

Sophomore center Hunter Dickinson went to work down low with his jump hook, scoring six points in the first 10 minutes. 

But the Wolverines picked up several fouls early in a choppy first half. Big men Moussa Diabate and Dickinson both picked up two early. Head coach Juwan Howard went with Jaron Faulds for a while and mixed up his lineups, and Northwestern was able to hang around. 

What could have been a decent lead was instead 28-24 at the 3:30 mark of the first half. The Wildcats were 9-for-18 from the floor at that point, 3-for-7 from long range. 

Howard went small with Brandon Johns at the five and Terrance Williams at the four for the last 3:30, but it didn’t hurt the Wolverines. They took a 34-31 lead into the break. 

Both teams shot 50 percent from three-point range in the first half, but Northwestern made four to Michigan’s two. U-M was 55 percent from the floor but missed four free throws, including three from Houstan. 

The freshman led all first half scorers, though, with 12 points. Dickinson and point guard DeVante’ Jones added six apiece. The Wolverines only turned it over five times in the first half, but they managed only three assists in a clunky 20 minutes offensively. 

Michigan – Northwestern second half 

The two teams traded hoops early in the second half before Eli Brooks helped give Michigan some separation. He hit a three with the Wolverines up 36-35. He then stole the inbounds pass and finished, and-one, to make it a seven-point spread at 18:06. 

Houstan’s third triple at 17:45 made it 45-37, and Michigan was threatening to blow it open. They took another step when Brooks nailed another triple from the top. That forced a Northwestern timeout at 17:10. 

But the Wildcats wouldn’t go away. Boo Buie’s triple from the top cut it to 50-44 at 14:30, and a Chase Audige drive and finish cut it to four. 

It got worse when Diabate picked up his fourth foul, an offense foul, at 13:30. 

Michigan’s offense continued to struggle. The Wolverines turned it over five times in the first eight minutes of the the second half to allow Northwestern to hang around. 

Ryan Greer’s triple from the corner brought the Wildcats all the way back and tied it at 51 midway through the second half. His second, a desperation heave at the shot clock buzzer at 7:57, gave the Wildcats their first lead since 17-16 in the first half, 56-55. 

Dickinson missed a shorty and picked up his fourth foul on an unnecessary reach going after the rebound. That sent him to the bench. The Wildcats continued to march to the free throw line and took a 58-55 lead. 

Buie’s layup made it 60-55 after another Michigan turnover, and U-M was in trouble after turning over again at 6:14. 

It was 62-55 when Diabate finally stopped the bleeding with a pair of free throws. Jones’ triple from the corner after a stop cut it to 62-60 at the four-minute mark. Another stop and a Diabate dunk tied it at 62, but Dickinson fouled out on a ticky-tack call at 2:29. 

Terrance Williams’ huge three at 2:10 gave Michigan the lead again, but Diabate fouled out on the next possession on another questionable call. Pete Nance made one of two free throws to tie it. 

Houstan’s triple, arguably the biggest make of his career, made it 68-65, and U-M got a stop on the next possession. Jones made two free throws, but Buie hit a triple to cut it back to two. Two more Jones free throws helped the cause, but it was still a three-point game with 8.5 seconds to go with Faulds going to the line. He missed both free throws.

Michigan fouled, Buie made one of two free throws and the rebound came to the Wildcats. Julian Roper missed a three that would have won it with seconds remaining, and U-M held on for the win.

Houstan scored 18 and Jones 15 for Michigan.