Michigan
17-14,11-9Big Ten
Indiana
21-10,12-8Big Ten
Michigan Drops Overtime Battle at No. 15 Indiana
3/5/2023 8:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Playing its third-straight overtime game for the first time since the 1979-80 season, the University of Michigan men's basketball team fell to No. 15-ranked Indiana, 75-73, on Sunday night (March 5) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
The contest marked the end of the regular season for the Wolverines. U-M will now await seeding for the 2023 Big Ten Conference Tournament, which is to be played at the United Center in Chicago, March 8-12.
Leaders And Best
Hunter Dickinson completed his fourth-straight double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds while also tying his career-high with five blocks. Kobe Bufkin logged his 10th straight game in double figures with 19 points, and Jett Howard added 16 points behind four three-pointers.
The Turning Point
Indiana (21-10, 12-8 B1G) went on a 6-0 run to start overtime, which was enough to seal the win after Michigan (17-14, 11-9 B1G) shot just one-for-six from the field in the extra period.
Overtime
After Indiana's initial 6-0 run, a Dickinson three-pointer brought the Wolverines within one possession. Michigan was unable to convert several late attempts to tie or take the lead, and after a series of late-game fouling by both teams, U-M fell short, 75-73.Â
Second Half
Michigan came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, with jumpers from Bufkin and Howard giving U-M its first lead since the opening minute of the first half. After Indiana answered with a three-point play, the Wolverines went on a 10-2 run capped off by a Dickinson dunk, stretching the lead to eight with 16:37 to play.
On the defensive end, the Wolverines prevented an IU field goal for over five minutes as triples from Howard and Dug McDaniel extended the lead to 52-40 with 13 minutes before the final buzzer.
IU's Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson combined for 11 of Indiana's next 19 points as the Hoosiers chipped away at Michigan's lead, pulling within one point with just under seven minutes to play after the Wolverines suffered a scoring drought of nearly three minutes.
Michigan eventually surrendered its lead after a pair of layups by Jackson-Davis, but Bufkin answered with a pair of free throws to reclaim the advantage, and a hook shot by Dickinson gave the Wolverines a three-point edge with just over a minute to play. Indiana tied the game with a three, and neither team was able to score down the stretch which sent the game into overtime tied at 69.
First Half
After a three from Howard on U-M's first possession, the Wolverines went cold from the field, making just four of their next 20 attempts throughout the majority of the first half. Indiana took advantage of Michigan's shooting woes and built a 27-13 lead by the 4:11 mark.
However, the Wolverines answered with a scoring surge to end the half, going on a 14-2 run in the final four minutes before the break. Michigan made six straight field goals during the run, which included eight consecutive points from Dickinson and a fastbreak dunk from Howard just seconds before halftime. The hot streak gave the Maize and Blue momentum at the break despite trailing Indiana, 29-27.
What's Next
The Wolverines will begin postseason play this week with the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago at the United Center. The event will take place Wednesday through Sunday (March 8-12) and the winner will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Michigan has clinched a first-round bye in the tournament, but its opponent and game time are still to be determined.
Notes
• With 14 rebounds on the evening, Hunter Dickinson became the ninth Wolverine to surpass the 750-rebound mark. He is the sixth Wolverine to amass 1,500 points and 750 rebounds.
• With three steals in the game, Dug McDaniel has 10 games this season with two or more steals.
• Dickinson and Kobe Bufkin started all 31 games of the regular season, while McDaniel, Tarris Reed Jr. and Joey Baker have appeared in every regular season game.
• With 76 three-pointers on the season, Jett Howard ties Trey Burke (2012-13) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (2010-11) for 11th-most in a single season among Wolverines. Howard reached the mark in just 28 games, compared to Burke's 39 and Hardaway Jr.'s 35.
