Hunter Dickinson put up 26 points and eight rebounds and DeVante’ Jones made a go-ahead layup with 1:10 left as Michigan rallied for an 85-79 victory over Nebraska on Tuesday in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Dickinson scored 20 second-half points and Eli Brooks added 20 points for the Wolverines (11-8, 5-4 Big Ten), who defeated the Cornhuskers for the seventh straight meeting. The victory also kept Nebraska (6-16, 0-11) winless in 11 games all time at Michigan dating to 1955.
Michigan won for the fourth time in the past five games overall to enter its Saturday contest at No. 4 Purdue with some much-needed momentum.
Bryce McGowens scored 24 points on 10-for-20 shooting to go along with a team-high six rebounds for Nebraska, which has lost nine straight and 14 of its past 15 games.
The Cornhuskers, who shot 50.8 percent (30-for-59) from the field, have also dropped 13 straight league games dating to a victory over Rutgers last March.
While Michigan outrebounded Nebraska 39-24, the Wolverines were dreadful from the perimeter, shooting 13.3 percent (2-for-15) from 3-point range. The hosts shot 46.7 percent (28-for-60) from the field overall and 81.8 percent (27-for-33) from the free-throw line.
Michigan trailed 73-66 with 6:08 left before going on an 15-6 run to take a lead it wouldn’t relinquish on Jones’ late layup. Jones stole the ball on Nebraska’s ensuing possession, and Brooks soon pushed the lead to 83-79 by sinking two free throws with 15 seconds left.
After trailing 44-37 at halftime, Michigan went on a 12-2 run to open the second half, taking a 49-46 lead on Brooks’ jumper with 17:14 left. The Wolverines extended the gap to 57-47 on Dickinson’s two-handed slam with 13:57 remaining.
After Nebraska was thoroughly dominated in Michigan’s 102-67 win in Lincoln, Neb., on Dec. 7, the Cornhuskers led by as many as 10 points in the first half on Tuesday en route to their seven-point halftime edge.
–Field Level Media