A lot could be said about this game but I will give you the simplest truth: Ohio vs. Michigan on November 20, 2022, will be remembered for one play. A play that ultimately did not decide the game but will be remembered as one of the craziest buzzer beaters to tie (or win) a game anyone can remember. With 2.1 seconds remaining and trailing by two points, Ohio threw an inbounds pass the length of the court, bouncing off the Michigan backboard and straight into the arms of Bobcat player Ben Roderick. His layup was no good but a put-back attempt by Dwight Wilson was just barely out in time, going down successfully as time expired to tie it. The play, which your author had never seen before at any level of basketball, sent the game to OT, where Michigan was able to squeak out a victory over the visitors, but it paled in comparison to the insanity of what occurred at the end of regulation. 

You wouldn't be incorrect to say that the crazy buzzer beater is perhaps a better thing to remember than what was an otherwise forgettable Michigan performance. Sleepy for much of the outing and only desperate in the final minutes of each of the two halves, plus overtime. For long stretches of the game the Wolverines were lethargic on defense and defensive rebounding while ice cold shooting the basketball. No one besides Hunter Dickinson was in consistent rhythm offensively and these factors converging found Michigan in big trouble against a MAC opponent at home, before late rallies pulled it out. Michigan was probably unlucky that it required OT, but it was not a good performance overall. 

The first half was a mess for ~17 minutes of game time. Michigan's offense turned it over far too often early on, while the defensive effort out of the gate was abysmal yet again. They allowed 13 points in the first six minutes and trailed 16-11 when Juwan Howard made one of the bolder moves of his coaching tenure, yanking the entire first unit off the floor and running a five man lineup of bench pieces for a full five minutes of game time. That lineup consisted of Dug McDaniel, Joey Baker, Isaiah Barnes, Will Tschetter, and Tarris Reed, while the starters got to sit in the sports coaching equivalent of a toddler's time out, presumably due to low compete level/energy level. The bench didn't get caved in, but they didn't chip away at the lead either. The deficit (five) stood identical when they exited to when they entered. 

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The starters re-entering didn't make much of a difference at first and in fact the Bobcat lead swelled yet again. With 3:20 to go in the first half the score was 29-21 and that's when Hunter Dickinson decided he didn't want to be on a team that trailed at halftime. Dickinson would put together a personal 12-2 run to close the half, two threes (including a buzzer beater), a layup, a two-point jumper, and two free throws made. Meanwhile the Michigan starters had their best defensive sequence of the half on the other end to stifle their opposition and despite not playing well at all, the Wolverines led 33-31 at the break. 

Halftime didn't do much to fix Michigan's offense aside from Dickinson. It took nearly 2.5 minutes for the first Michigan points of the second half, which was a Kobe Bufkin steal setting up a Jaelin Llewellyn basket, and then the points flowed momentarily. Terrance Williams II and Llewellyn knocked down threes to put the Wolverines ahead 41-35, but they then watched Ohio go on a 12-4 run to seize the lead back. Juwan Howard called timeout after that, a Bobcat run fueled by two Jett Howard turnovers and a sloppy defensive possession. Howard schemed up a Dickinson dunk out of the timeout but Ohio would come right back, going on a mini 10-3 run.  

A couple scoreless minutes went by and the score sat at 57-50 Ohio with 6:08 to go. Michigan was staring down the face of a second, perhaps even more embarrassing, defeat this week. The comeback started then. Kobe Bufkin's drive and bank shot off the glass cut into the deficit to start, then a stop, a Dickinson rebound, and a Williams three-pointer followed. Just like that, the lead was down to two, only forty seconds later. Ohio wasn't done, though. They'd answer with a couple makes of their own to stretch the lead back up to six, one of which a tough fade-away from the post. 

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Jaelin Llewellyn drew a foul and made one at the line, missing the second but Michigan snatched the offensive rebound. A scrum ensued to gain possession but eventually it made its way around to Jett Howard, who knocked down a contested three. With 3:25 left, the lead was back to two, 61-59. Michigan's defensive was settling in at the other end, forcing a couple Ohio missess in succession, even as the Wolverine offense was choppy. With 1:09 to go, they finally got the equalizer, as a Jett Howard block at one end set up Kobe Bufkin's drive and finish off the window at the other. 61-61. The Michigan defense wasn't done defending, forcing a shot clock violation after a hounding possession, a clear sign that the energy level had ratcheted up.

With 33 seconds left, Michigan had a chance to take the lead back for the first time in 12 minutes. After running twenty or so seconds off the clock, Bufkin went to drive again but this one was not as successful. He was stripped of the rock, regained possession, but cornered on the baseline, he tried to pass it to Jett Howard. It was easily intercepted by Ohio's Miles Brown and now the Bobcats had a chance to win. Brown passed to Jaylin Hunter, who raced down the court and rather than holding for the final shot, took a bizarre pull up three with ~5 seconds left in regulation. The shot was off the back iron, Bufkin snatched the rebound, and then got fouled. Michigan was in the double bonus and Bufkin made them both. 63-61, with 2.1 seconds remaining. This is when the madness ensued. 

The improbable buzzer beater sent the game to overtime, a period that Michigan led consistently. They kept Ohio scoreless for nearly four minutes of OT to start, getting out to a quick 68-63 lead after a Dickinson jumper in the lane and a Jett Howard pull up 3 went down, but were unable to find the dagger to put it away. Dwight Wilson's and-one three point play cut the lead down to 68-66, and even though the offense remained cold, Michigan's defense did its job yet again. They forced another Ohio miss with 24 seconds left and the Bobcats had to foul Llewellyn. He went 1/2 at the line and Michigan chose to hack Ohio and put them on the line. Ben Roderick missed the front end of the one-and-one, Williams snatched the rebound and was fouled. Once he made one of the free throws to bump the lead to four, 70-66, the game was over. Ohio's desperation heave was inconsequential and once it was unsuccessful, the game was over. Michigan had survived. 

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It was not a pretty game but Michigan had Hunter Dickinson and he was the best player on the floor. That was the difference. Dickinson scored 24 points on 9/16 shooting, including 2/2 from three. The rest of Michigan's team (not counting Dickinson) was 8/30 from beyond the arc and a ghastly 15/47 (32%) from the field. Jett Howard's three three-pointers were also hugely consequential in getting this game to the finish line, while the team defense came up big at the end, despite the ugly beginning. Ohio shot only 35% and scored five total points over the last 9:13 of game action, spanning the end of regulation and all of OT. 

Michigan is now 4-1 on the season and will be back in action on Wednesday night against Jackson State at home. That game is scheduled for 8:30 pm and will be broadcast on BTN. The boxscore is after the jump. 

[CLICK THE JUMP FOR THE BOX SCORE]