Gut reactions to huge Michigan basketball win over Michigan State

Michigan basketball desperately needed a win and the Wolverines got it on Saturday night and here are our gut reactions.

For much of the game, it felt like a similar story for Michigan basketball. The Wolverines were right there against Michigan State, but in the end, you wondered if they could execute down the stretch.

Finally, in a must-win game, one that keeps the slim hope alive of making the NCAA tournament, Michigan basketball closed on a 15-3 run to get a massive 84-72 win.

https://twitter.com/MSU_Basketball/status/1627121948110061568

Kobe Bufkin hit the biggest shot of his Michigan career when he caught a pass off-balance, collected himself, and buried a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to give Michigan the lead with just under two minutes left.

https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1627148502496329735

Soon after a blocked shot by Tarris Reed, Hunter Dickinson hit another three, thanks to a perfect pass from Dug McDaniel and that was all she wrote.

https://twitter.com/MichiganOnBTN/status/1627144782123515906

The defense found a way to get stops and Michigan iced the win at the free-throw line. Juwan Howard still hasn’t won in East Lansing, but Tom Izzo is now 0-3 against Howard at the Crisler Center.

At 15-12 overall and 9-7 in the Big Ten, Michigan has life, however faint. And if it could channel that 15-3 stretch over the next four games, anything really is possible.

Here are the gut reactions.

Gut reactions to Michigan basketball win vs Michigan State

• Anyone watching shouldn’t wonder why Kobe Bufkin is being projected as a first-round pick. He was spectacular.
• Performances like that give me high hopes for Dug McDaniel. He scored 18, had five assists, and zero turnovers. If that continues, this team is dangerous.
• Hunter Dickinson wasn’t great all game (14 points, 7 boards) but was late when he had to be. He made a great move to break a tie and his 3-pointer was the final dagger.
• Tarris Reed needs more minutes. He scored eight points, grabbed 10 boards, was outstanding on defense, and dominated the offensive glass.
• Will Tschetter also needs to play more. His seven points in the second half were huge.
• Dickinson and Jett Howard went 8-of-22 and Michigan won. I wouldn’t have expected that.
• It won’t go down as a close win, since it was a 12-point margin, but it was tied with under two minutes. That should be a huge confidence builder.
• Still, it’s just one win. Beat Rutgers and you’ll have my attention.
• The road to the tournament is extremely long. This was one step but a good one.
• Go Blue!