Michigan
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Illinois
20-10,11-8Big Ten
Michigan Drops Double-Overtime Heartbreaker at Illinois
3/2/2023 11:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Four Wolverines played over 44 minutes of game time as the University of Michigan men's basketball team fell to Illinois, 91-87, in double overtime on Thursday night (March 2) at the State Farm Center.
Leaders And Best
Hunter Dickinson paced the Wolverines with 31 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Kobe Bufkin added 23 points, 17 of which came in the second half, while Jett Howard returned from injury with 15 points and five rebounds.
Turning Point
Illinois used the momentum from a 7-0 overtime-closing run to outscore the Wolverines 7-2 in the opening minutes of the second extra period. It was enough to seal the win despite late-game heroics from Dickinson that brought the Wolverines within one point in the final minute.
Overtime
Howard and Dickinson combined for 11 points in just over three minutes to open the first overtime period, building a 81-74 lead with just 1:49 to play. However, Illinois closed the extra period with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 81. The Wolverines had one final attempt that fell short and sent the teams into double overtime.
To start the second overtime, Illinois' Matthew Mayer made three straight field goals which left Michigan trailing by five. Dickinson answered with a pair of inside scores, including an and-one that pulled the Wolverines within one with a chance to tie and just 41 seconds left on the clock. Dickinson's free throw was off the mark, and the Illini closed the game with late free throws.
Second Half
After a back-and-forth start to the half, Illinois broke a 41-41 tie with a 9-0 run to take a commanding 50-41 lead with 13 minutes to play in regulation. The Wolverines ended the run with a layup from Dickinson and a pair of free throws from Terrance Williams II after being held scoreless for over three minutes.
With 11 minutes remaining and a nine-point deficit, Bufkin propelled Michigan to a 12-2 lead-taking run. He scored 10 of U-M's 12 points, capping off the stretch with back-to-back triples to give the Wolverines a 57-56 advantage, their first lead of the second half.
Illinois outscored Michigan 12-6 over the next four minutes, building a 70-63 lead with 2:35 to play. The Wolverine defense clamped down, and after a pair of inside scores from Bufkin and Dickinson, Howard knocked down a game-tying triple from the corner with 47 seconds left. The U-M defense got stop on the other end, but Dickinson's last-second shot came up short, forcing overtime with the game tied at 70.
First Half
The Wolverines established an early lead behind a pair of triples from Dickinson and Bufkin in the opening minutes. Michigan would hold its lead until the 9:12 mark, when a three-pointer gave the Illini a one-point advantage. The Maize and Blue responded with five unanswered points to reclaim a four-point advantage.
With just over six minutes to play, each team was held scoreless for over three minutes as the Wolverines clung to a 27-25 edge. Illinois ended the scoring drought at the 2:50 mark, and the Illini outscored U-M 8-4 in the final minutes of the half to leave Michigan trailing, 33-31, at the break.
What's Next
The Wolverines will head to Bloomington, Indiana to close out the regular season against Indiana on Sunday (March 5) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on CBS.
Notes
• With a three-pointer in the opening minute, Hunter Dickinson became the 22nd Wolverine to reach the 1,500 point mark.
• Dickinson (1,529 career points) surpassed current head coach Juwan Howard (1,526) for 20th on U-M's all-time scoring list.
• Kobe Bufkin has reached double figures in nine straight games. During the stretch, he is averaging 18.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 53.1 percent (59-for-111) from the field.
• Thursday night's contest marked the U-M first double-overtime game since January 9, 2020 against Purdue. The Wolverines won that contest, 84-78.
