With one big exception, that went as well as one could hope.

Facing a frisky opponent on short notice, Michigan established their identity early by relentlessly attacking the paint, shut down Toledo's top scorer, and cruised to a perfect 5-0 non-conference record. Unfortunately, the status of one of those paint presences is now in doubt.

Senior center Austin Davis tallied the team's first six points and added two more buckets before the customary substitution for freshman Hunter Dickinson with the Wolverines holding a 15-12 lead. After Davis kick-started the offense, Dickinson helped take over the game on both ends, as Michigan went on a 10-2 run after he checked in.

The Rockets briefly pulled closer but with their star, Marreon Jackson, getting harangued into a 0-for-8, four-turnover first half, the home team inevitably blew the game open. Michigan blocked seven shots in the first half, including four by Dickinson, as drives were met with a sea of arms and with only a few exceptions outside shots were still contested. The Wolverines entered the break with a 44-26 lead.

Austin Davis scored ten first-half points but later exited with a leg injury [Campredon]

The starting five picked up where the team left it off coming out of the tunnel. While Toledo hit a couple threes to keep the margin within relative reach, Eli Brooks and, after an early substitution, Chaundee Brown answered with their own triples, and Davis earned a trip to the line after an offensive rebound, hitting both to take his point total to 12, a career-high.

A couple possessions later, however, Davis pulled up limping with a non-contact injury while moving to set a screen and went straight to the bench, inadvertently stopping play with a "moving screen" on the way. He eventually went to the locker room, and while he came back to the bench, he did so with a heavy limp; the team announced he'll be evaluated in full tomorrow.

While a potential Davis absence would have a significant impact on the team as they head into Big Ten play, his injury did little to slow M's roll this evening. They stretched their lead to as much as 26 points with five different players knocking down threes in the second half. Dickinson and Brooks each scored a dozen in the half to lead an otherwise balanced attack. The freshman big man was particularly dominant, scoring a series of comical post buckets by bulldozing through overmatched defenders.

Chaundee Brown made his usual impact on both ends of the court [Campredon]

Dickinson led Michigan's five double-digit scorers with 18 points while stuffing the stat sheet with eight boards, an assist, four blocks, and a steal. Isaiah Livers only needed nine shooting possessions to net 16 points and was similarly active all over the floor. Franz Wagner came around with an efficient 14 points, making both of his three-point attempts and adding five rebounds, four assists, a block, and a steal. Chaundee Brown just missed out on being the sixth double-digit scorer with nine on 4/4 FGs; he also had three assists, a block, and a steal while playing his signature hounding defense.

Brandon Johns played center in Davis' place for much of his ten minutes of action, which mostly came late in the game. He was his usual energetic self, making his only shot, getting to the line for another point, getting an offensive rebound among his three total boards, and recording a block and a steal. He was also robbed of a pretty assist by a shooting foul. Toledo didn't have the size and skill up front to test him too much; at least for now, however, he looks like he can handle playing backup minutes at the five.

Michigan finished with a scorching 1.32 points per possession despite the usual late bench mob stint slowing the scoring flow. Only a late flurry after the game was well in hand got the Rockets to scrape above a point per trip. The Wolverines begin conference play on Sunday against a 3-1 Penn State team that's ranked 51st following an unexpected 20-point win at Virginia Tech that sent the Hokies tumbling 23 spots to 49th on KenPom. Hopefully they'll have Big Country available. We'll have to wait and see.

[Hit THE JUMP for the box score.]

the good dogs have always been here [Campredon]

​