Michigan Basketball: 2021-22 keys to victory against Purdue Boilermakers
By Greg Waddell
3. A superstar performance from their superstar
Hunter Dickinson isn’t in All-American discussions, or even first-team all-Big Ten talks right now – but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be. He has upped his numbers from last year across the board, added a reliable three-point shot, lowered his turnovers, and has done just about everything for this Michigan team other than making open shots for his teammates and manually write “win” in the win/loss column.
In conference play through eight games, Dickinson is averaging 20.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He is good enough to keep Michigan in games single-handedly.
Dominating the Purdue frontcourt is a tall task (literally). But the Boilermakers’ defense isn’t a strength, and they have already shown in losses that they are susceptible to letting one star beat them. Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis erupted for 37 points on 13 of 24 shooting in a five-point win at Mackey Arena last month, and Rutgers’ Ron Harper Jr. was brilliant in a 30 point effort to propel Rutgers to an upset win in Piscataway.
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Great players shine against their toughest opponents, and with a Purdue defense that opens the door for big performances, Michigan may need Hunter Dickinson’s finest hour to get their biggest win on the season.
Prediction: Purdue 84, Michigan 71