After shooting poorly in its three previous games, Michigan’s freshman guard Hunter Dickinson bounced back to lead the Wolverines to a victory against San Diego State. He scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against the Aztecs. Caleb Houstan scored 17 points, while Eli Brooks scored 10 for the Wolverines. In the second half, Michigan held San Diego State to one field goal for 10 minutes. The defensive effort helped fuel the offense.
Michigan found its rhythm early in the season, and overcame adversity to win its next three games. Michigan won by 19 points against Maryland on Jan. 18 and by 18 against Indiana on Jan. 19. It then went 11-for-16 with three. Then, it fought off Northwestern late in the game and came out victorious with a 72-58 win.
San Diego State had an early lead before Michigan went on a 9-0 run. Matt Bradley, the Aztecs’ sole double-digit scorer, scored 22 points. Dickinson scored his sixth triple of halftime to give Michigan a lead of 61-59. This win comes less than two months after Michigan’s 21-point loss against North Carolina. This one has become a benchmark for the team.
Despite the recent loss, Michigan’s performance is still impressive. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten standings, and have made a big statement during March Madness. After a mediocre start to the season, the Wolverines have won five NCAA tournament games under Juwan Howard. However, the Wolverines’ early-season road trips have been tough and sour. They beat UNLV in Las Vegas but fell to Arizona in Phoenix. The result is a testament of the talent and dedication of the Michigan basketball team.
Michigan is now in Sweet Sixteen. They will face No. 2 Villanova in a televised match on TBS. The game will begin at 7:29 p.m. ET. Regardless of what happens in the Sweet Sixteen, the Wolverines have a bright future. However, their season isn’t over yet.
KJ Williams scored 39 points to lead the Wolverines to a 31-25 second-half lead. KJ Williams was also the only player from the other team to reach double digits. Tennessee State was led by Carlos Marshall Jr. with 13 points. Jared Townsend scored 12 points for the Wolverines. The win was a much-needed boost to Michigan’s season after a disappointing start to the Big Ten season.