ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines basketball survived an early-season scare from the Oakland Grizzlies, winning in overtime, 81-71.
Here are five takeaways from the contest:
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Player Of The Game: Hunter Dickinson
Freshman center Hunter Dickinson played nine minutes off the bench in the first half but made a limited impact, only recording one assist. Oakland is a small team, with its tallest starter being only 6-foot-7, and it appeared early on that head coach Juwan Howard was looking to match that and play small.
But Howard made the adjustment in the second half, needing a spark with his team trailing, which is exactly where Dickinson came in, absolutely taking over and making his presence known. He scored 13 points in the second half and tallied another six in overtime. If it weren't for him, Michigan doesn't come back and win this one.
His passing was something coaches and players lauded in the preseason, and that was also on display tonight, with his four assists going up against the Grizzlies' zone proving crucial.
Team Takeover Took Over
We mentioned Dickinson's performance above, but tied in closely with that was the play of freshman forward Terrance Williams, another player from the DMV area. Williams and Dickinson played on the same Nike EYBL team — Takeover — together for years, are roommates at U-M and share a strong bond on and off the court.
Both came in mid-way through the second half and shined. Though Dickinson's performance is — rightfully so — the biggest storyline of the game, Williams' spark off the bench was just what the Wolverines needed.
He had seven points on 3-of-4 from the field, four rebounds and two assists.
The only area in which Williams struggled was his free throw shooting. He'd be the first to admit it, and that's why he was the last player at the arena, getting up some extra foul shots late Sunday evening.
