3 takeaways from Michigan's 78-68 win over Jackson State
A few days after Michigan was taken to the brink by Ohio, the Wolverines utilized a strong second half to run away from Jackson State in a 78-68 victory over the Tigers on Wednesday.
The Wolverines were led by Jett Howard, who finished the game with 19 points and shot 4-7 from three in the winning effort.
Below are three takeaways from the Wolverines' win.
You don't let the Ohio struggles beat you twice
I am not proclaiming that everything is fixed for Michigan after the near-debacle against Ohio but seeing an improved team show up a few days after the game is a positive sign in terms of the overall growth of a young team.
The shooting numbers weren't fantastic but you'll take it during a win. The defensive disposition improved, free throw shooting improved.
All good things to occur during a win.
The defensive disposition was something that Juwan Howard took issue with early in the game and you can believe that was addressed during the week. The Wolverines came out disruptive in both halves and forced JSU into tough shots and turnovers.
The Wolverines finished the game with double-digit blocks and caused the Tigers to turn the ball over 10 times.
As for the free throw shooting, the Wolverines finished the game 16-19, a much-improved 76% from the line.
Terrance Williams II finding his shot is key for this team
If Michigan plans to make anything out of this season, it's going to have to find contributions from all over the team and not just a handful of key players. Terrance Williams II is one of those players whom the Wolverines needed more consistency from.
Williams put in an encouraging performance against the Tigers, finishing the night with 11 points and 5 rebounds. He shot 4-10 from the field, 1-3 from three and 2-3 from the free throw line.
Bench production improved
One of the glaring issues for the Wolverines in recent weeks was the lack of bench production. While it certainly can't be declared fixed, anything is practically better than what the program was getting recently.
Joey Baker hit open threes, guys diving for loose balls and the scoring going in a positive direction instead of negatively is all you can really ask for in this one.
The Wolverines added over 20 bench points on the night, with contributions from the likes of Dug McDaniel, who added 9 points and Joey Baker, who added 6 points as well.
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @DavisMoseley, @lucasreimink
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram