The Michigan basketball team found themselves in trouble at a few different points on Sunday in Wisconsin and in the middle of the second half, the Wolverines fell by double digits.
But Michigan basketball, playing for the first time in more than three weeks, has recovered thanks to an excellent defensive effort, a great technical effort and an endurance that the champion teams always seem to have.
This was definitely the kind of game you needed to win to win conference championships and Michigan basketball took a big step towards the big ten title on Sunday and here are the notes:
Big ones
Hunter Dickinson: A-
Although Dickinson did not play very well offensively, he was very effective and fulfilled my prediction that he would return with double digits in the score. He finished with 11 points, had 15 rebounds and blocked five shots. He hit 5 of 6 on the free throw line and his defense in the pick-and-roll game was very good. For some reason, he went back to earth scoring the ball from the inside, but his impact was still felt on Sunday at both ends of the field.
Austin Davis: B +
Like Dickinson, Davis was not perfect and was somewhat problematic in defense, but he also had some good moments on the crossbar during his 13 minutes of action. The senior scored two huge buckets in the second half with Michigan behind him, and although he probably doesn’t need to play more than 10 minutes a night, he’s always a reliable offensive option on the inside.
Brandon Johns: me
Johns played just four minutes on Sunday, so it’s hard to get a note anyway. But his game was better throughout the season. He turned the ball once and didn’t make much of an impact, but it will have its moments in the end.