Men’s basketball: Michigan’s hot shooting helps sink Nittany Lions

Michigan couldn’t miss.

The Wolverines’ hottest run in a scorching first half started with Aubrey Dawkins’ drive past Penn State center Jordan Dickerson for a layup and finished with Derrick Walton Jr.’s 3-pointer. The Wolverines made nine straight field goals, including four 3-pointers, during the stretch to turn a five-point lead into an 18-point advantage.

Walton’s 3-pointer was Michigan’s 10th of the half, part of a 66.7 percent effort from beyond the arc to help the Wolverines take a 21-point lead at the break.

Michigan rolled to a 79-56 win in Big Ten play Saturday afternoon.

The Wolverines (12-3, 2-0) played without leading scorer and rebounder Caris LeVert, who was out with a “lower left leg” injury. Michigan announced LeVert’s injury before the game.

“I think everyone has to step up,” said Michigan’s Zak Irvin, who finished with 16 points and seven assists. “Caris does a lot for our team. He’s one of the best players in the country, and we’ve all just got to have that mindset, that we’ve all got to pick up what we do to the next level.”

Mark Donnal scored 16 points, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman had 14 and Dawkins added 13. The Wolverines finished 14 for 25 from 3-point range and shot 59.2 percent from the field. Irvin hit four 3-pointers, Robinson and Dawkins each had three and Abdur-Rahkman and Walton both had two.

Brandon Taylor led Penn State (9-6, 0-2) with 18 points.

Abdur-Rahkman started in place of LeVert.

Penn State jumped out to a 7-0 lead before Abdur-Rahkman knocked down Michigan’s first 3-pointer. Duncan Robinson, who came into the game shooting 58.3 percent from deep, drilled a 3 in transition on the next possession.

Robinson hit his next two 3s to give Michigan a 12-11 lead, and his Wolverines teammates then started to heat up.

Michigan connected on six straight 3-pointers, a stretch capped by the team’s 10th and final 3 of the half by Walton.

The Wolverines continued to roll in the second half.

Michigan led by as many as 29 points and never saw its lead dip below 21.

“Michigan was a buzzsaw today,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. “It was almost like LeVert was out and they wanted to show that they could do it.”

Notes: Taylor was the lone Penn State player to score in double figures Saturday. … Payton Banks went 0 for 5 from the field and finished scoreless in 21 minutes. Banks went into Saturday averaging 11.7 points per game. … The Nittany Lions shot 35.2 percent from the field and finished 4 for 18 from 3-point range. … Penn State hosts Minnesota at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

This story was originally published January 2, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Men’s basketball: Michigan’s hot shooting helps sink Nittany Lions."