Michigan Blows Past Penn State in One-Sided Big Ten Matchup
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Just a week after finally breaking into the Big Ten win column with a victory over Minnesota, Penn State ran into a buzzsaw in Ann Arbor. The Nittany Lions were overwhelmed from start to finish by a Michigan team firing on all cylinders, falling 110-69 in a game that quickly turned into a showcase for the No. 2-ranked Wolverines.
This one got away early.
Freddie Dillione V opened the scoring for Penn State, but that brief moment of hope was quickly snuffed out by a 15-0 Michigan run that forced an early timeout and put the Nittany Lions in a hole they never crawled out of. From there, it was all Wolverines - and it wasn’t subtle.
The first half told the story. Michigan outscored Penn State 56-24 before the break, dominating in just about every phase of the game.
Offensively, the Nittany Lions couldn’t find a rhythm. Defensively, they couldn’t stop the bleeding.
Dillione V was one of the few bright spots for Penn State, doing his best to keep the offense afloat. Every time he managed to create a bucket, though, Michigan had an answer - and usually a loud one. The Wolverines were relentless in transition, precise in half-court sets, and downright punishing on the glass.
Melih Tunca chipped in at the line, but it took until the 12:18 mark of the first half for Penn State to score again after Dillione’s opening bucket. Kayden Mingo didn’t get on the board until under six minutes remained in the half, a reflection of how tough Michigan’s defense made it for Penn State to generate anything easy.
Meanwhile, Michigan big man Will Tschetter played the role of facilitator with flair, dishing out back-to-back assists on consecutive three-pointers to stretch the lead. The Wolverines closed the half by hitting seven of their last eight shots, including a three-play sequence from Morez Johnson Jr. - a drive, a dunk, and a fadeaway - that felt more like a highlight reel than a live game.
By halftime, Michigan led by 32. And the second half didn’t offer much reprieve.
The Wolverines opened the final 20 minutes with a 7-0 run. Tunca again broke the scoring drought for Penn State, but it came from the free-throw line - a recurring theme for a team that struggled to get clean looks all night. Michigan’s Aday Mara added back-to-back blocks to punctuate the defensive effort, while Tschetter continued to toy with the Nittany Lions, lobbing one up to Oscar Goodman for an emphatic dunk that pushed the lead to 78-40.
Mara wasn’t done, swatting away another attempt from Josh Reed. From deep, Penn State couldn’t buy a bucket, finishing just 2-of-17 from three-point range.
Goodman, a redshirt freshman, took full advantage of the defensive lapses and added six points of his own - not eye-popping, but emblematic of how thoroughly Michigan controlled the game. The Wolverines shot a scorching 63% from the field, while Penn State managed just 35%. Even at the foul line, where the Nittany Lions shot a respectable 77%, Michigan still had the edge at 88%.
Tschetter capped off his night in style, knocking down back-to-back threes to push Michigan into triple digits. Nimari Burnett led the scoring barrage, pouring in 31 points on a blistering 70% shooting from beyond the arc - nearly matching Penn State’s entire team output.
The final stat line was lopsided across the board: Michigan outrebounded Penn State 44-21 and scored with ease right up until the final minute, including a pair of late lob finishes that served as exclamation points on a dominant performance.
Penn State, missing several key players - Ivan Jurić, Eli Rice, Tibor Mirtic, and Sasa Ciani - was simply outmatched. The loss drops them further down the Big Ten standings and underscores just how much work remains for this group.
What’s Next
The Nittany Lions will try to regroup at home, returning to the Bryce Jordan Center for a Sunday showdown with USC. Tip-off is set for noon.