Michigan
6-0,1-0Big Ten
Penn State
3-2,0-1Big Ten
Dickinson, Second-Half Grit Lead Michigan Past Penn State in B1G Opener
12/13/2020 5:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Michigan improved to 6-0 on the season with a 62-58 win over Penn State.
» Hunter Dickinson set a career- and game-high with 20 points.
» Isaiah Livers was 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)
Score: Michigan 62, Penn State 58
Records: U-M (6-0, 1-0 B1G), PSUÂ (3-2, 0-1 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Dec. 25 -- at Nebraska (Lincoln, Neb.), 5 p.m. CST, (TV: Big Ten Network)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan men's basketball team used a gritty second half of defense and a 20-point performance from freshman Hunter Dickinson to earn a 62-58 conference-opening win over Penn State on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 13) at Crisler Center.
Dickinson went 9-for-14 shooting, while tying a team-best seven rebounds and blocking a three shots. Seniors Eli Brooks and Isaiah Livers scored 12 and 10 points, respectively, with Livers shooting 8-for-8 from the charity stripe.
Mike Smith added eight points and three assists, while Franz Wagner had six points and tied a Dickinson with seven rebounds.
Penn State's fast pace caused it to have three early turnovers, and the Wolverines jumped out to a 9-3 lead after a Smith three-pointer heading into the first media break. Both teams struggled to find their offensive groove until Dickinson scored seven straight points to extend the Michigan lead to 22-14 with just over seven minutes to play in the opening half.
Michigan (6-0, 1-0 Big Ten) used back-to-back triples from Livers and Brandon Johns Jr. to take a 30-19 advantage and forced a Penn State timeout with 3:45 remaining in the first half. The Wolverines tacked on two more three-pointers to close out the first half with a 36-27 lead.
U-M shot 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from beyond the arc in the first half with Brooks and Smith each hitting two three-pointers. Brooks led the Wolverines with 10 points and Dickinson added nine points and four rebounds.
Penn State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) hit its first four attempts of the second half to go on an 8-0 run to come within one of Michigan, 38-37, and forced a Michigan timeout with 17:40 to play. Both teams exchanged baskets to keep it a two-point game before both teams went on scoring droughts of more than two minutes, and the Wolverines led, 52-50, with under seven minutes to play.
The Nittany Lions used an 8-0 run of their own over the course of 1:20 to take a 58-56 lead until Smith found Dickinson for a huge dunk to tie the game at 58 with 2:08 to play.
The Wolverines used a layup from Dickinson and clutch free throws from Livers in the remaining 1:30, while the defense shut down two big Nittany Lions scoring opportunities to earn the win.
U-M will take a 12-day break before returning to the court in Lincoln against Nebraska on Dec. 25. Opening tip is set for 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
