Michigan Wolverines basketball improved to 6-0 on the season and 1-0 in Big Ten play with a 62-58 win over Penn State.
Here are five of our biggest takeaways from the game.
RELATED: Videos: Juwan Howard, Players Recap Win
RELATED: Instant Recap: Michigan Guts Out Win Over Penn State
Player Of The Game: Hunter Dickinson
The Michigan offense runs through freshman center Hunter Dickinson. The Wolverines fed him over and over throughout the game, after it was clear early on that he had an advantage down low. Expect him to get more and more touches, too, after his performance today and what he's done all year.
The 7-foot-1 big man has been incredible in his first six games, now averaging over 15 points per game. He notched a career-high 20 points in his first career start, going 9-of-14 from the field and adding seven boards.
There were questions whether or not Dickinson could hold his own — to the extend he had been in non-conference play — against Big Ten opponents, and Dickinson passed the first test with flying colors. Penn State doesn't have a whole lot of height down low, but senior forward John Harrar, at 6-9, 240, is a brut force — he was once committed to Army to play football — and isn't easy to go up against.
Dickinson did it at both ends, notching three blocks in addition to a career night offensively.
There are bigger tests to come, but head coach Juwan Howard and Co. couldn't ask for much more from their stud freshman so far.
Eli Brooks is an elite defender
Michigan senior guard Eli Brooks takes the runner-up spot for player of the game, with an outstanding performance running the team on both ends of the floor — but especially on defense.
Coming in, Penn State junior point guard Myreon Jones was averaging over 12 points per game, while senior guard Jamari Wheeler was shooting 46.2 percent from deep. Brooks completely shut both of them down, with Jones scoring 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting and Wheeler going scoreless for the night. Brooks sets the tone on the perimeter, and it translates over to the rest of the defense, including the help and rotations.
It was all too fitting that it was Brooks defending PSU junior guard Sam Sessoms on the game's final possession. Sessoms tried to take Brooks off the bounce, but ended up on the ground after his game-tying layup attempt didn't go.
