Michigan
7-3,1-0Big Ten
Lipscomb
7-5,0-0ASUN
Michigan Survives Late Scare from Lipscomb Behind Bufkin's Career-High 22 Points
12/17/2022 6:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In its first game at Crisler Center in 18 days, the University of Michigan men's basketball team returned home and earned an 83-75 victory over Lipscomb on Saturday (Dec. 17) behind a career-high 22 points from Kobe Bufkin.
SUMMARY: Despite scoring a season-high 49 points in the first half, the Wolverines (8-3) found themselves trailing Lipscomb 73-69 with just four minutes to play. However, a Bufkin three-pointer and six points from Dug McDaniel contributed to an 11-0 run in crunch time, and the Wolverines survived to get the win.
SECOND HALF: Bufkin continued his hot first-half shooting, drilling a corner three. A mid-range jumper from Jett Howard extended the Wolverines' lead to 54-44 five minutes into the second half. A two-minute U-M scoring drought allowed the Bisons to pull within five. Lipscomb (7-5) knocked down a pair of threes and the Wolverines' advantage was cut to 62-61 with nine minutes remaining, before a midrange jumper from Derrin Boyd gave the Bisons a one-point lead. Another Lipscomb basket capped-off a 10-0 Bisons run. And-one layups from Terrance Williams II and Howard were negated by two Lipscomb three-point plays, before a Quincy Clark fast-break layup brought Michigan's (7-3) deficit to four. Bufkin quickly answered with a triple, and McDaniel's floater in the lane put the Wolverines back in front with three minutes to play. Mid-range jumpers from McDaniel and Hunter Dickinson highlighted an 11-0 run that extended the Michigan lead to five with under a minute to play, and the U-M held on to defeat Lipscomb.
FIRST HALF: A driving and-one layup from Howard kicked off the scoring for the Wolverines, but Lipscomb answered by sinking five of their first six shots and Michigan trailed 13-9 early. Dickinson got going in the paint with an easy score off a pick-and-roll followed by a gritty post finish, and a Howard triple from the wing put U-M back on top 16-15. A finger-roll finish at the rim and a deep three from Bufkin highlighted a 9-0 run that stretched the Wolverines' lead to eight with 11 minutes before the break. A Jace Howard three-pointer followed by two free throws by Bufkin put Michigan ahead 32-21 at the six-minute mark, but Lipscomb's Will Pruitt shrunk the lead to seven with three triples. Jett Howard answered with a fast-break dunk, avoiding the defender by going around his back. Bufkin knocked down another three to send the Wolverines into the locker room with a 49-41 lead.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Wolverines will travel to Charlotte, N.C. on Wednesday (Dec. 21) to take on North Carolina in the inaugural Jumpman Invitational -- its fifth neutral-site game of the season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Notes
• Bufkin went 8-for-9 from the field, including making his first seven shots -- three of them three-pointers -- to bolster his 22-point game. He did not miss a field goal until the 10:14 mark of the second half in his fifth straight double-figure contest.
• Bufkin and Jett Howard (19 points) each reached double figures in the first half with 14 points.
• Dug McDaniel grabbed a career-high eight rebounds. He also scored seven points -- all coming within the last three and a half minutes of the game.
• Terrance Williams II grabbed six boards, including a season-high-tying four offensive rebounds.
• The Wolverines outscored Lipscomb 14-2 in the final four minutes.
