GAMEDAY Mens Basketball
Michigan 71, Rutgers 64
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Franz Wagner scored 20 points and Mike Smith added 12 to lift No. 3 Michigan to a 71-64 victory over Rutgers.
Hunter Dickinson added 10 points for the Wolverines, who won their second straight game since returning from a lengthy layoff after the athletic department paused activities for coronavirus-related reasons. Michigan avoided a slip-up before its showdown at No. 4 Ohio State this weekend.
Jacob Young scored 16 points for Rutgers, which led early but lacked the offensive sharpness necessary to keep up with Michigan. The Scarlet Knights (12-8, 8-8 Big Ten) have never beaten the Wolverines. Michigan (15-1, 10-1) has won all 14 meetings.
Rutgers led 9-4 early but couldn't score consistently enough to put the Wolverines in any significant danger. Brandon Johns Jr. made a 3-pointer that put Michigan up 22-17 and capped a 16-6 run.
Michigan led 37-28 at halftime, then scored eight of the first 10 points after the break to lead by 15.
Wagner set up a couple dunks by Dickinson in the second half with clever passes inside.
February 18, 2021
| Rutgers | ||||||||||||
| Player | Pos | Min | FG-FGA | FT-FTA | 3P-3PA | OR-TR | Ast | Blk | Stl | TO | PF | Pts |
| M. Johnson | C | 24 | 5-7 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 |
| G. Baker | G | 32 | 3-12 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| R. Harper Jr. | G | 30 | 3-10 | 5-5 | 1-4 | 0-4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| C. McConnell | G | 30 | 5-14 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 2-7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| P. Mulcahy | G | 28 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| J. Young | 26 | 6-12 | 2-4 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | |
| C. Omoruyi | 16 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2-5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| M. Mathis | 15 | 0-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Totals | 201 | 25-62 (.403) |
11-18 (.611) |
3-12 (.250) |
8-27 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 64 | |
| Michigan | ||||||||||||
| Player | Pos | Min | FG-FGA | FT-FTA | 3P-3PA | OR-TR | Ast | Blk | Stl | TO | PF | Pts |
| I. Livers | F | 34 | 3-10 | 1-2 | 0-4 | 1-6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| H. Dickinson | C | 26 | 4-10 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 1-8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| F. Wagner | G | 35 | 6-9 | 5-6 | 3-4 | 1-7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 20 |
| M. Smith | G | 34 | 4-7 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
| E. Brooks | G | 30 | 1-5 | 2-2 | 0-1 | 0-3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| A. Davis | 14 | 3-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1-6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | |
| C. Brown Jr. | 13 | 1-3 | 3-4 | 1-2 | 1-4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | |
| B. Johns Jr. | 8 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| T. Williams II | 6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Totals | 200 | 24-52 (.462) |
17-23 (.739) |
6-15 (.400) |
9-40 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 17 | 71 | |
Officials: Larry Scirotto, Bill Elk, Steve McJunkins