Michigan
9-6,3-1Big Ten
Michigan State
11-4,3-1Big Ten
Michigan's Late-Game Rally Falls Short in Rivalry Matchup at Michigan State
1/7/2023 5:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Despite 18 points from Hunter Dickinson, the University of Michigan men's basketball team fell to Michigan State 59-53 on Saturday (Jan. 7) at the Breslin Center.
Kobe Bufkin scored 15 points while Jett Howard added 10 to round out the Wolverines' top three scorers.
SUMMARY: In a defensive struggle from start to finish, the Wolverines (9-6, 3-1 Big Ten) fell behind late in the first half and trailed Michigan State (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten) throughout. A frantic comeback effort, led by Dickinson's 14 second-half points, brought Michigan within four points in the final minutes, but the Spartans converted all their late free throw attempts to seal the game.
SECOND HALF: MSU started with two quick baskets, stretching its lead to 14 and forcing a Michigan timeout. The Wolverines scored five unanswered points out of the timeout, thanks to two post scores from Dickinson. After a Howard layup, the Maize and Blue was held scoreless for more than three and a half minutes, allowing MSU to stretch its lead back to 14. A basket from Will Tschetter ended the drought, and layups from Bufkin and Dickinson helped U-M cut the deficit to 44-34 with seven minutes to play. Another Bufkin layup forced a Michigan State timeout with 4:34 remaining, and two free throws from Howard helped Michigan pull within four points. However, the Wolverines went without a field goal for more than four minutes, and despite a late triple from Dickinson, Michigan State held on.
FIRST HALF: Michigan's defense helped it gain an early advantage, forcing five MSU turnovers in the first five minutes and holding the Spartans to just one field goal in their first nine attempts. The lead was quickly erased by a 9-0 Michigan State run, putting the Spartans ahead 12-7. Tarris Reed Jr. ended the run with a three-point play, which was followed by a layup from Dickinson to tie the game at 12 with eight minutes before the half. The Spartans answered, outscoring the Wolverines 13-4 over the next seven minutes, leading to a 27-18 Michigan deficit at the break.
WHAT'S NEXT: Michigan will look to bounce back against in Iowa City on Thursday night (Jan. 12) when they battle the Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
Notes
• Hunter Dickinson (18 points) led the Wolverines in scoring for the 10th time this season. He is averaging a team-best 18.7 points per game.
• With a layup in the first half, Dickinson reached 500 career field goals.
• Despite starting only seven of 15 games, Dug McDaniel leads the Wolverines with three assists per game.
• Kobe Bufkin earned three steals, giving him a team-best 22 on the season.
