Michigan pulls away from Rutgers in the second half for key, 71-62 win
ANN ARBOR, MIch. — Michigan wore their all-maize jerseys and black socks in support of suspended coach and former Fab Fiver Juwan Howard.
It worked.
The Wolverines pulled away in the second half for a critical, 71-62 home win over a hot Rutgers team.
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Rutgers got off to a quick start with an alley-oop off the tip, getting behind the Michigan defense from the get-go. Ron Harper Jr. was aggressive early on his way to 10 first-half points. Like Michigan, the Scarlet Knights were content to work in the paint.
Both teams would notch 18 points in the paint in the first half, Michigan led by Hunter Dickinson’s 12 points.
Rutgers played catch-up most of the first half, due in large part to Michigan frosh Caleb Houstan. He made two of his first three triples, getting off to a great start in leading Michigan to a 16-12 lead at the second TV timeout.
Rutgers took a 2:40 scoring drought into the third timeout, trailing 22-18, and Dickinson helped Michigan match its biggest lead at 6:56 with a jump hook in the lane. That pushed the lead to a first-half high six.
The Scarlet Knights started to heat up, though and kept it close. Michigan helped them with seven turnovers, several unforced — the Wolverines would finish with eight in the first half alone — and cooled form the outside. Houstan’s two triples were Michigan’s only makes in the first 10 attempts.
Houstan cooled, missing four from long range. He still finished with eight first half points. DeVante’ Jones added six points and five rebounds.
Michigan managed only five assists on 13 made baskets and didn’t register a fast break point in the first half.
SECOND HALF: Starters help Michigan pull away
U-M led by as many as four in the first few minutes of the second half with Jones leading the way. Rutgers battled back to tie it at 38, countering again.
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Houstan then stepped up. He hit two huge triples, including a contested one from the corner, to put the Wolverines up 44-38. Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell called timeout at 15:06 to settle his team.
It worked. Rutgers scored the next four points. Jones, though, answered with a pair of 12 footers of his own to push it back to six. He and Dickinson accounted for Michigan’s first 16 points of the second half, the Wolverines leading 48-44 at the 12:03 mark.
Senior Eli Brooks then showed up. He scored four tough points in the paint to give Michigan its biggest lead at 52-45. Frosh Kobe Bufkin then hit a triple in transition to push the lead with just over 10 minutes to go, and the Wolverines appeared to be in great shape.
Freshman Frankie Collins’ acrobatic reverse finish in transition forced a timeout at 9:20 with Michigan up 12. Bufkin scored inside again to push it to 14, and Rutgers was on the ropes.
Michigan got a bit complacent on both ends to allow the Scarlet Knights to cut it to 10, but a Brooks three at 4:12 pushed it back to 13 and all but ended the suspense.
Houstan finished with 21 to lead the Michigan scorers. Dickinson added a double double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jones notched 14 points and seven rebounds and Brooks 11 points.
Michigan improved to 15-11 overall, 9-7 in the Big Ten with a Sunday home game against Illinois on tap.
