Michigan Basketball: 3 takeaways from a demanding win over MSU

In a basically evenly matched head-to-head showdown with Michigan State, Michigan basketball pulled away late to win over a proud Spartan program going through a crisis.

Dug McDaniel launched the scoring off for the Wolverines as he had Michigan’s first seven points. The Spartans controlled most of the first 20 minutes though but only were up three at the break. Michigan basketball kept fighting in the second half and grabbed the edge late in a seesaw battle.

They didn’t let this one get away as they have in so many affairs earlier in the season and win over their in-state brethren.

Here are the three takeaways.

1. Michigan basketball closed on a 12-0 run to end it

The game was tied at 72 with two and a half minutes left and that is when Michigan would not be denied. Kobe Bufkin somehow made a contested three-pointer, then Dug McDaniel found a wide-open Hunter Dickinson who swished a dagger three to go up by six with a minute to go. Michigan made their free throws and let the clock strike zero for the victory.

The maize and blue lost Jett Howard in the second 20 minutes due to a roll of his ankle when he landed on Joey Hauser’s foot after a made basket. Michigan basketball could have lied down and quit, but they stuck with it and were rewarded with a win when all was said and done.

Howard gets a few days off to rest up and get ready for Rutgers or the coaches could sit him as they did in the Purdue loss, when the same thing happened to him in a victory over Minnesota.

Howard was just starting to catch fire when he left for the remainder of the night. In his absence were guys like Joey Baker, Tarris Reed Jr., and Will Tschetter who stepped up big-time to help fill in for him. Terrance Williams was also out as he missed his second consecutive game, but Michigan may have found a passable replacement for him moving onward.

2. Dug McDaniel shined in the spotlight

The freshman set a new personal career high with 18 points and it was evident from the tip. He made up for his late-game blunder in the Wisconsin loss on Tuesday night by turning it over. He shot 60% from the field, but more importantly, as the primary ball-handler, he didn’t turn the ball over once in this one.

McDaniel is setting himself up for a bright future in the maize and blue. He’s had his moments, both up and down as a freshman does, but if he sticks it out he could be Juwan Howard’s first point guard to develop into something very special. He’ll be counted on next season to be one of the leaders of this program, depending of course on what happens between now and then.

Three other starters joined him with 10 or more points in the stat column. Joey Baker was the fifth Wolverine to break that barrier as well. It was a pretty well-balanced team performance with their highly regarded NBA prospect on the bench for most of the second stanza. Michigan basketball is now 2-0 when Howard rolls his ankle, which is a weird stat, but winless without him starting in the lineup.

3. Tarris Reed Jr. is earning a starting job

With Terrance Williams out, Will Tschetter got the nod again. He played badly at first but performed admirably better as the night wore on. The real standout of the night was Tarris Reed Jr. though. He almost recorded a double-double, but his presence in the paint was a major factor in why Michigan walked out victorious.

He made a couple of and-ones that got Michigan ahead and a block on the defensive side of the ball that finished Michigan State’s chances at a late rally.

Coach Howard has to seriously pontificate whether or not to start him from here on out. He is Dickinson’s backup but has just become too indispensable when both are on the floor at the same time.