ANN ARBOR -- Michigan showed once again on Thursday it can compete with any team in the country. The Wolverines still haven’t proven they can actually beat those teams.
Michigan lost to No. 1 Purdue, 75-70, at Crisler Center late Thursday night. The Wolverines (11-9, 5-4) started strong and led by as many as six early. They got as close as three late, but Purdue’s big first-half run was the difference.
In a battle of talented centers, Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson tallied 21 points and seven rebounds to offset Zach Edey’s 19 and nine. Kobe Bufkin added 16 points for Michigan, but Purdue displayed the depth that has led to a 20-1 record this season (9-1 in the Big Ten).
Michigan was without its second leading scorer, Jett Howard, who sat with an ankle injury suffered in Sunday’s win over Minnesota. The freshman didn’t participate in pregame warmups and it’s unclear if he’ll be available for Sunday’s game at Penn State. Joey Baker started in his place, made three 3-pointers, and finished with 11 points over 29 minutes.
Purdue’s bench outscored Michigan’s 23-9. Freshman Fletcher Loyer scored 17 for the visitors, who shot 54 percent from the field.
Michigan just wasn’t quite good enough, much like in close losses to Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, among others, earlier this season. As such, Michigan’s NCAA Tournament hopes are on life support.
The Boilermakers’ 15-0 run gave them a 41-28 lead with three minutes left in the first half. Michigan had a scoring drought of more than five minutes, but fought to get within six at half.
Michigan started the second half with consecutive turnovers and fell behind 46-35. Bufkin was feeling it out of halftime; his 3 cut Michigan’s deficit to six with 13:31 left. A minute later, Jace Howard’s strong take from the 3-point line to the rim cut it to five. The Wolverines didn’t get closer until there were 14 seconds left.
Michigan played strong defense to the end of the shot clock twice on one possession, only for Purdue to grab an offensive rebound and make 3 to go up 58-48 with 10:36 left.
Baker rattled in a 3 from the left wing and Dug McDaniel’s soft floater fell in to get it back to five. Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn, a redshirt freshman, had two impressive baskets inside to make it 65-55 with 6:28 left. Baker drained another 3.
The teams traded baskets (or misses) for a stretch, preventing Michigan from getting closer until Dickinson’s deep 3 from the top of the key made it 71-65 with 36 seconds left. Baker dove to steal the ensuing (and careless) inbounds, and called timeout before sliding out of bounds. His wild 3 was corralled by Edey, though Edey’s missed free throw at the other end opened the door for a potential wild finish. Baker drove for a layup to cut it to four, and Michigan fouled again with 12.6 seconds left. This time Loyer converted both.
Baker then hit a ridiculous bank-shot 3, and Michigan fouled with 5.5 seconds left. Purdue made both to seal the win.
Michigan made nine 3s to Purdue’s five (albeit on 13 more attempts); Michigan had half as many turnovers (just six) as Purdue; Michigan yielded just six offensive rebounds. But the Wolverines, over 40 minutes, were not as sharp as their competition on either side of the ball.
Michigan’s energy and execution from the start were much improved from Sunday at least. The Wolverines looked like a completely different team.
Edey and Dickinson established themselves early. Edey scored his team’s first seven points, with two early post-ups on Dickinson and an improbable tip-in. Dickinson scored seven of Michigan’s first 12, including a 3-pointer and three-point play, as Michigan grabbed a 13-7 lead. The two big men seemed to maintain a friendly dialogue throughout the game.
Other Wolverines contributed early too, though. Terrance Williams II and McDaniel each drove for baskets. Will Tschetter came off the bench and promptly drained a 3. Williams scored all four of his points in the first 5:20 and Tschetter didn’t score again.
Tarris Reed Jr. dunked with 11:17 left in the half to give Michigan a 22-20 advantage but was whistled for a technical for jawing in the defender’s face after. It was the freshman’s third foul.
Edey sat for a few minutes, returned, and picked up where he left off. His sixth basket gave him 13 points and tied the game at 28 with 7:46 left in the half. It started a 15-0 run as Michigan went more than five minutes without scoring. Isaiah Barnes airballed a couple of 3s during the drought, as the Boilermakers proved they are more than just Edey.
Michigan scored the next seven points to close the half and make it 41-35 at the break.
Thursday was Michigan’s Pink Game in support of breast cancer awareness, and Juwan Howard and Michigan’s coaching staff wore suits and pink sneakers for the cause.