Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Williams Arena)
Score: Michigan 90, Minnesota 75
Records: U-M (6-3, 1-0 B1G), Minnesota (4-5, 0-2 B1G)
Attendance: 10,004
Next U-M Event: Saturday, December 17 -- vs. Lipscomb (Crisler Center), 4 p.m. (TV: B1G+)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Hunter Dickinson scored a game-high 19 points, and Dug McDaniel and Kobe Bufkin each added a career-high 15 to help lead the University of Michigan men's basketball team to a 90-75 win over Minnesota on Thursday night (Dec. 8) in the Wolverines' Big Ten opener at Williams Arena.

OVERALL SUMMARY: Michigan (6-3, 1-0 Big Ten) outscored Minnesota (4-5, 0-2 Big Ten) 27-7 over an eight-minute stretch early in the first half to establish a lead that it would not relinquish. Dickinson scored 19 points, while Dug McDaniel and Kobe Bufkin added 15 points each to help push the Wolverines' advantage to as much as 32 in the second half, and the Maize and Blue cruised to a 15-point win over the Gophers.

FIRST HALF: Dickinson opened the scoring on the night, putting up the first seven Michigan points. Three-pointers from Bufkin, McDaniel and Jett Howard gave Michigan an early 11-point lead and forced a Minnesota timeout. Another three from Howard capped off a 9-0 run in just under two minutes, helping the Wolverines establish a 24-11 advantage with 12 minutes before the break. The Wolverines brought a full-court press out of the under-12 media timeout, quickly leading to back-to-back steals and transition layups for Bufkin and Tarris Reed Jr. U-M continued to score, with mid-range jumpers from Terrance Williams II and Bufkin contributing to a 7-0 run later in the half that extended the lead to 24, Michigan's largest of the half. Minnesota responded, taking advantage of a three-minute Michigan scoring drought and cutting the lead to 40-28 with three minutes left in the first half. A pull-up triple from McDaniel ended the drought, before a Bufkin steal created a transition layup for Howard to give momentum back to Michigan. The Wolverines carried a 16-point lead, 47-31, into halftime.

SECOND HALF: A steal and fastbreak layup from McDaniel capped off a 7-0 Michigan run in the opening ninety seconds of the second half, forcing an early Minnesota timeout. Then, a Bufkin miss fell into the hands of McDaniel, who threw a no-look pass to Dickinson for an easy layup that pushed Michigan's lead back to 21 points. Despite allowing Minnesota to make five of six from the field, the Maize and Blue was able to maintain its lead throughout the early portion of the second half behind nine points from McDaniel, and Michigan was still ahead by 19 with 11 minutes to play. A three-pointer from Youssef Khayat and a layup and-one from Minnesota native Will Tschetter highlighted a 14-2 Wolverine run that put Michigan ahead by 32 points, 81-49, for its largest lead of the night. Minnesota answered by outscoring the Wolverines 22-7 over the next six minutes to close the gap, but the U-M held the Gophers to just four points in the final three minutes to seal the victory.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Wolverines will return to Crisler Center on Saturday, Dec. 17 to host Lipscomb. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.

Notes:

• After four neutral-site contests over its first eight games, U-M's game at Minnesota was its first true road contest.

• With Jaelin Llewellyn out for the season due to a left-knee injury, freshman Dug McDaniel made his first career start. In addition to his 15 points, he finished with three steals and seven assists while sinking a career-best three three-pointers.

• Michigan opened the game with six assists on its first six baskets and nine of its first 16 in the first half. The Wolverines finished with 18 assists on the night.

• Michigan scored a season-high 47 first half points, topping the 45 it opened with against then-No. 3 Virginia (Nov. 29). It was the fourth time this season U-M has had 40+ points in the first half.

• Dickinson's 19-point night was his eighth double-figure scoring in nine games this season.

• For the fourth straight game, Kobe Bufkin scored 10+ points and at least one rebound (two), assist (four), block (one) and steal (three).

• Michigan is 62-44 in Big Ten openers, with a 26-24 road record; U-M is 7-2 in Big Ten openers against Minnesota.