Basketball is a bottom-line game, especially come March. Win or pack it in.

So far, Juwan Howard’s crew sports a bottom line that’s unassailable. They’re 6-0, ranked No. 19, and 1-0 in the Big Ten heading into Friday’s Christmas combat at Nebraska.

Are there quibbles to be made? Of course. You can bet, some of the locked-out ghosts from Crisler Center are making them.

What about the ugly turnovers and shooting cold streaks? They haven’t played any really tough teams yet. If they don’t get a little more rugged, XXXXXXXXX will XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXX. (It’s a free game — fill in your own blanks).

On the flip side, the Wolverines seem to be navigating the injection of half a roster full of new players smoothly as otters in a shallow creek. In fact, some of them are fitting in fast and furious.

Just ask Brian Boesch. The radio play-by-play man for the Wolverines sees, and describes, every minute of Michigan basketball. He’s already witnessed individuals that have met or exceeded expectations.

Put freshman center Hunter Dickinson in the latter group. The 7-1 frosh enters the Battle For The Old Christmas Corncob leading the Wolverines in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (7.3).

He came in advertised as someone who could help, and help early. He’s quickly becoming someone coveted as a starting big man by the majority of teams in the league.

“Number one is Hunter,” Boesch said of his exceeded-expectations list. “If he hasn’t been the best player on the floor through the first six games, it’s him and [senior forward] Isaiah [Livers], 1A and 1B. Hunter’s consistency, his ability to not be a black hole like some centers are with the basketball … he’s a distributing center.

“He is an able passer. That’s something where Juwan Howard has been locked into that player development role, in a lot of his coaching career, with the Miami Heat. We’ve seen it with one of our own in Duncan Robinson, just how potent that system is.

“But there are certain things with Hunter I don’t think you can’t teach. He’s kind of alluded to that. That passing ability, the passing willingness, are examples of that.”

Tougher times are coming, Boesch acknowledges, but Dickinson will callus up along the way.

“What he’s been able to bring to the table is remarkable,” Boesch said. “I do think it’s sustainable. Now, will he score 11-plus every night? Will he grab seven rebounds or more, five out of every six games? Will he shoot 55 percent or better in every game this season? No.

“There are going to be some battles. There are going to be some tough spots. But he might already be a top three or four center in this league. Considering what this league is about, and he’s a freshman? He’s played six college games. It’s really remarkable.

“You have to start with him, more than anything else.”

One of Dickinson’s classmates, forward Terrance Williams II, has received a small fraction of the big man’s media focus. He’s also not putting up Dickinsonian numbers, at 3.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 9.6 minutes per game.

But he’s also demonstrating the bonding that can take place on a team when there’s not a normal off-season coming-together period, according to Boesch.

“I was really excited watching some of the tape from Terrance Williams II,” Boesch expressed. “I love what he can bring to the table. I’ve been struck by just how much [assistant coach] Phil Martelli raved about Terrance and the intangibles. He said he breathes winning.

“I’m surprised he’s been able to find, not a consistent role, but a role, within this offense that has a bunch of players that fit his type of framework — size, skill set. The trust level from the coaching staff … this team is energized from the time he comes on the floor.”

Boesch cited the narrow win over Penn State as the perfect example.

“He hadn’t played for the first 35 minutes of the game,” Boesch said. “He comes in and he plays 65 seconds, and he gets a block and a rebound.

“Those 65 seconds represented a jolt the team needed. It was coming in completely cold. I was just blown away with what he brought to the table and how he handled things.”

Junior forward Brandon Johns Jr. has been around much longer, and still hasn’t advanced to stardom, or for that matter, the starting lineup.

Still, Boesch insisted, watch the veteran win a game for the Wolverines this year.

“There’s going to be a game or two this season where Brandon Johns looks like the best player on the floor, and he’s going to help them,” Boesch said. “Maybe Hunter gets into foul trouble, or Isaiah or [sophomore forward] Franz [Wagner] aren’t shooting as well as they are capable.

“Brandon Johns is going to have to go and get a game for this team, and I think he’s capable of doing that.

“I’ve just always been impressed with watching him practice, watching him at shoot-around. I still think there’s so much untapped potential, where this guy can be an All-Big Ten type of performer, if everything clicks.”

It hasn’t yet. It hasn’t for the Wolverines yet, in the toughest games under the brightest spotlight. That’s because they haven’t reached those contests.

But there’s a sense that even with a host of newbies, Howard’s Crew No. 2 sits at least on the cusp of the top five in the Big Ten. Finish there, and you’re hip deep in Madness three months from now.

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