Fab Five Takeaways: Especially Inspired Wolverines Take Down Maryland

Michigan Wolverines basketball knocked off Maryland in College Park, 84-73, on New Year's Eve.

Here are five thoughts and takeaways from the game.

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RELATED: Box Score

Freshman center Hunter Dickinson has taken home this award six of Michigan's eight games, and in many of the contests it's not even a discussion who the best player on the floor was. That was the case Thursday night, with Dickinson pouring in 26 points on a ridiculously efficient 10-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line, while grabbing 11 boards. Dickinson played 32 minutes, as well, proving once again that he can go the distance in a tough Big Ten battle.

The only struggle he had was when guarding the pick-and-pop, specifically when Maryland junior forward Jairus Hamilton was in the game. Michigan allowed Hamilton to heat up and hit three shots from long range, before adjusting and ultimately slowing down everything the Terps wanted to run.

All in all, a spectacular performance from the freshman phenom, who has now connected on 41-of-46 looks from near the rim on the season, according to T-rank.

The talk of the week was Dickinson and fellow freshman and DMV area native Terrance Williams returning home to take on Maryland, both saying before the game that they weren't heavily pursued by the hometown team during the recruiting process.

Dickinson put on an absolute clinic down low, on both ends of the floor, and seemed to be extra inspired while doing so, showing emotion and even getting a technical foul called on him for allegedly — he refuted it after the game — saying 'something' to the Terps' bench after scoring.

Even more emotional and inspired were head coach Juwan Howard and his son, freshman guard Jace Howard, on the bench, after the passing of Chicago basketball legend Donnie Kirksey, at 57 years old, earlier in the week. Kirksey served as a longtime mentor to Juwan and was the godfather of Jace.

Juwan Howard navigated the week by “roll[ing] my sleeves [up] because I know that this team needs me," he said after the game.

"He wouldn’t want it no other way,” Howard said of Kirksey. “It’s that simple.”

The Wolverines were impressive in the win, and it appeared that the game meant more than usual for a few out there on the floor and the bench. Juwan Howard was passionately encouraging his team from the head coach's chair, while his son was leading a mob of bench players — including Williams, who did not play but wanted to beat his hometown team badly — that brought the energy all night long and was a reason for their success, garnering credit from the head coach after the game.