Michigan Basketball: 3 things we learned from win over MSU

Michigan basketball toppled Michigan State on Tuesday night and here are three things that we learned from the Wolverines win. 

Going into Tuesday’s game against Michigan State, it really felt like the season was on the line for the Wolverines.

It wouldn’t have been impossible to make the NCAA Tournament with a loss against Michigan State, but the Wolverines would have needed at least a three-game winning streak to make it happen, now, after an 87-70 rout of the Spartans, Michigan is that much closer to a bid.

The Wolverines were projected in the field by Joe Lunardi of ESPN prior to the win and this should give them a little bump. The key is now beating Iowa on Thursday.

But first, let’s take a look back at three things we learned in Michigan basketball’s massive win over Michigan State on Tuesday night.

The best of Hunter Dickinson

We all expect this to be Hunter Dickinson’s last season with Michigan basketball and while there have been some rumblings about him re-thinking his decision for after this season if Tuesday was one of his last home games, what a way to go out.

Dickinson became the first Michigan basketball player since Terry Mills in 1990 to score at least 30 points against the Spartans and his 33 points were simply outstanding, especially since he only needed 19 field goal attempts to get there and didn’t even hit a 3-pointer.

It was all in the paint and at the free throw line. In the first meeting, Tom Izzo singled up Dickinson and he went 8-for-19, so it paid off. This time around, Dickinson made Izzo pay, and the Spartans inability to guard Dickinson is the main reason they lost.

Either way, it was his best performance as a Wolverine, although he’s got some more games to play so we’ll see if that holds.