Michigan gutted out a 62-58 win over Penn State Sunday, a Big Ten opener that wasn’t without its warts.
The Wolverines didn’t take care of the ball when they were up 15 in the first half, allowing the Nittany Lions to come all the way back. Questionable shots (senior point guard Mike Smith down the stretch with a two-point lead and 17 seconds left on the shot clock) and decisions (freshman Terrance Williams in late and forced to shoot free throws) brought what should have been a comfortable win to the wire.
But you never complain about a conference win, and Penn State is a potential tournament team. The Nittany Lions played with a lot of energy, made some tough shots and gave the Wolverines all they wanted and more Sunday afternoon.
Once again, freshman big man Hunter Dickinson was the difference for Michigan in victory. He scored a game-high 20 points in his first career start, connected on nine of his 14 shots and was dominant in the paint.
“The work I’ve seen him put in, in practice, his mindset … he wants to improve in every area of his game,” head coach Juwan Howard praised. “You can’t do anything but cheer for a guy like that, feed him information because he wants it. He wants it in film, when we do individual work and work together. He wants it in practice.
RELATED: Videos: Juwan Howard, Players Recap Win
RELATED: Instant Recap: Michigan Guts Out Win Over Penn State
