Michigan Basketball: Grading Wolverines Sweet 16 win vs FSU
Bigs
The Florida State defense provided one of the biggest tests of the season for Hunter Dickinson, who faced another 7-footer and the tallest team in the country actively trying to keep the ball away from him. In the first, it mostly worked. In the second, Michigan basketball was able to attack with the high-low. The Wolverines also took advantage of all the attention on Dickinson to create looks for others. But when Hunter did get the ball, he did a nice job of finishing, especially in the second half.
The freshman had 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and just one turnover. He also stayed out of foul trouble. His 5-for-10 shooting day wasn’t as efficient as normal, but it was a big-time performance by Dickinson all the same.
Brandon Johns: A
It might be a theme but just like the others so far, Johns deserves an A for his performance against Florida State. There were a few sloppy moments in the early going, but this was the perfect game for Johns. He’s big, tough and physical. Those traits proved incredibly valuable against Florida State and his early dunks help set the tone. His rebounding has also been vital. Johns grabbed six boards but his presence on the defensive end was huge. You can’t say enough about the way he’s played in this tournament and he’s a big reason why Michigan basketball is still playing.
Austin Davis: A+
The first grade that’s not an A, is an A-plus that goes to Austin Davis. You might ask why not Franz? The 3-point misses held me back. Franz was great but that prevented it from being a flawless performance. But for what Davis can do, what he’s got in his arsenal, his nine-minute stretch was as good as he’s had all year. Davis got two big buckets in the second half and was 3-for-3 for the game. He also grabbed three boards, only picked up one foul, and played really well defensively. You gotta love Big Country.
Terrance Williams: I
It’s hard to grade someone on five minutes of action. But Williams was solid on defense as he’s been all year and I like how Juwan isn’t afraid to use him. One of his talents is finding a way to get the ball to Dickinson, probably better than any other post player on the roster in the high-low. If he can develop confidence in his jumper, he will be a starter someday.