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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan basketball had won two games in a row with a rivalry showdown against Michigan State looming — could the Wolverines make it three in a row before heading to East Lansing?
First, they’d have to get past Northwestern, a team that entered the game at 2-6 in-conference and 9-8 overall. But that didn’t mean it would be a simple game for the maize and blue, who entered with a 9-7 record.
In the first half, the Wildcats gave the Wolverines all they could handle, with only Caleb Houstan cementing himself on the offensive end of the floor en route to a 3-point halftime lead. Could the maize and blue pull away in the second half?
Northwestern cut it to 1, but the maize and blue, thanks to Eli Brooks hitting a 3, getting a steal, a layup, and and-1, and then Houstan hitting a 3 before Brooks hit another, the Wolverines finally started to roll, pushing the lead to 11, a 12-2 run over 1:15. The Wildcats, however, wouldn’t go away, tying the game at just under the 10-minute mark. NU ultimately took a 1-point lead at the under-8 media timeout. How would Michigan respond?
Moments later, now down 3, and Hunter Dickinson with four personal fouls, the Wolverines needed to get back some momentum. Minutes later, thanks to a Northwestern 9-0 run, Michigan was down 7 and had five minutes to rectify the situation.
But then, two Moussa Diabate free throws, a DeVante’ Jones 3, and a Northwestern turnover later, the Wolverines were down just 2 with three-and-a-half minutes remaining. Diabate got the dunk to tie the game, and Michigan was back in business.
Then, Dickinson fouled out and NU went back up by 2, shortening the margin for error. Terrance Williams II hit a 3 to retake the lead with two minutes remaining, but Diabate subsequently fouled out.
Michigan got the lead back up to 5, but a Boo Buie 3 cut it to a meager 2 with 50 seconds remaining. The Wolverines held on to win, 72-70.
Here are our five takeaways from the unexpectedly thrilling game.
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