Dickinson Can Break Michigan Record With Big Performance Tonight
With another big-time performance on Thursday night, Hunter Dickinson will likely break the Michigan record for Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards. Having already earned the distinction seven times during his freshman campaign, Dickinson is currently tied with former Michigan great Trey Burke.
Dickinson earned his seventh award following his phenomenal performance last weekend against the No. 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. En route to a 92-87 win in Columbus, Dickinson led the Wolverines in both scoring (22 points) and rebounds (9). Though his performance on Sunday was impressive, the freshman center has been a linchpin for the Wolverines all season long, leading the team in field goal percentage (63.9), points per game (15), rebounds per game (7.8) and blocks per game (1.6).
With the No. 9 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in town, the No. 3 ranked Wolverines will have another shot at providing further evidence that they’re the top team in America. Not only would a win against the Hawkeyes give the Wolverines back-to-back victories against top-ten ranked opponents in less than a week, it would also be another big step toward claiming their first Big Ten title since 2014.
For Dickinson, the challenge tonight may be the toughest yet of his young career. Iowa will look to get the most out of their big-time center Luka Garza, who’s averaging 24.7 points per game this season. Ironically, Dickinson and Garza have a long history that dates back to their AAU days in Washington. Throughout the years, the two have maintained a friendship and continue to workout together during the off-season - providing a familiarity between the two that will certainly play a factor on Thursday night.
“I think something that he does really well is to use his body,” Dickinson said. “He’s got a big frame that he throws around really well. He’s really good at using angles if you give him any type of angle to get it off the backboard or something like that, he’s really good at ‘whatever the defender does is wrong’ type mentality.”
The individual record for Dickinson would certainly be something to be proud of, but the goal for this basketball team is far bigger than any individual awards. As one of the top basketball teams in the nation, the Wolverines will look to continue carving out their pathway to a National Championship on Thursday night.
Tip off time between the Wolverines and Hawkeyes is scheduled for 7:01 pm EST at Crisler Center on ESPN.
