Michigan Blows Out Toledo, 91-71, To Wrap Up Non-Conference Play

The Michigan Wolverines' basketball team blew out Toledo tonight at Crisler Center, 91-71, to wrap up non-conference play. The contest served as a great primer for what will likely be a tough showdown against a solid Penn State team this Sunday.

Here's how the Maize and Blue's destruction of the Rockets tonight unfolded:

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It was the Austin Davis show to kick things off tonight at Crisler Center. The fifth-year senior big man scored Michigan's first 10 points, with his club holding a 10-9 lead at the under-16 timeout.

Things quickly turned into the Isaiah Livers show after that though, with the senior forward then pouring in eight of Michigan's next 10 points. The highlight was a three-pointer from the right wing to put U-M up 15-9 at the 14:09 mark.

A lay in from the senior at 11:25 gave the Wolverines a 20-14 lead, and that's where things stood at the under-12 break. Michigan was shooting a hot 56 percent from the floor at that juncture, and holding Toledo to just 36 percent.

U-M was also taking care of the ball, with only one turnover. A triple from sophomore guard Franz Wagner at 10:35 from the left wing gave the Maize and Blue their biggest lead of the night up to that point, at 25-14.

Michigan held a 27-19 edge at the under-eight timeout. A jumper at the free throw line from senior guard Chaundee Brown with 5:29 left in the half gave U-M its biggest advantage at 33-21, before Wagner stretched it to 35-21 with two free throws at the 4:03 mark.

The rout was officially on when Livers drained a three-pointer from the left corner to put Michigan up 40-21 with only 2:01 left in the half. Toledo trimmed the margin to 42-26, before two free throws from Wagner with five seconds left put U-M up 44-26 at the break.

It was a very solid first half for the Wolverines, who shot 55 percent and held the Rockets to just 29 percent from the floor.

The start of the second half served as a three-point barrage for the Maize and Blue. Senior guard Eli Brooks got the party started with a triple from the left wing at 18:36 to make the score 47-31, after the Rockets had cut the deficit to just 13 (44-31).

Brown then jumped in on the action with a triple of his own in transition to put the Wolverines up 52-36, before fifth-year senior guard Mike Smith knocked one down at 15:48 to put Michigan on top 55-36.

Wagner decided he wanted a piece of the action, drilling a three-pointer at the 14:46 mark to give U-M a 20-point cushion (58-38). Freshman center Hunter Dickinson gave the Maize and Blue their biggest edge of the night at 67-44 with an and-one with 11:47 remaining.

The 7-1 big man had 13 points and six boards at that point, which has basically become a typical night at the office for him. The onslaught continued when Brown threw down a monstrous two-handed slam at 10:14 to increase the margin to 74-48, which came directly after the referees decided it was time to interject themselves into the game by giving the U-M bench a technical foul.

The Wolverines still had the game well in hand at the under-eight timeout, holding a 76-55 advantage. They were a hot eight-of-14 (57 percent) from deep, thanks in large part to Livers having knocked down three of his four attempts.

Dickinson converted his second and-one of the night with 5:20 to play, throwing down a gigantic dunk on the play in the process and basically swatting the foul off like a fly. He made the free throw to give Michigan an 83-60 lead.

The margin was 88-63 at the under-four timeout, and U-M head coach Juwan Howard put backups like freshman guard Zeb Jackson and junior guard Adrien Nunez into the game for the first time.

A free throw from junior forward Brandon Johns with 22 seconds left wrapped up the scoring for U-M, sealing an impressive 91-71 blowout win. Dickinson finished as the club's leading scorer with 18 points, while Livers checked in next with 16.

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