Nimari Burnett scores 31, Michigan pummels Penn State at Crisler

Sixth-year senior Nimari Burnett had a career night at Crisler Center on Thursday night, scoring 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting and 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. Burnett was extremely efficient, with his 31 points coming in just 21 minutes of game action. With the help of Burnett, Michigan disposed of Penn State, 110-69.

Aside from Burnett’s heroic effort, Michigan got solid contributions from Morez Johnson Jr. (12 points), L.J. Cason (12), Trey McKenney (12) and Aday Mara (11). Starters Yaxel Lendeborg and Elliot Cadeau were somewhat quiet on the night, with the two combining for just 13 points and six made field goals.

Not only was Burnett the story of the night, but the Wolverines’ dominant rebounding performance carried them to the easy victory. In the first half, U-M out-rebounded Penn State by an unbelievable 24-4. By the end of the game, Michigan finished with 44 rebounds, and the Nittany Lions grabbed only 21.

Michigan made 40 of its 66 (61 percent) shot attempts from the field and 15 of its 29 (52 percent) shots from 3-point range, including a marvelous 70 percent clip from Burnett. When the Wolverines are shooting the ball at the clip they did on Thursday night, it’s no wonder how they secure more than twice as many rebounds as the opponent.

If there’s anything to nitpick from U-M’s 41-point victory over a team that took it down to the wire earlier in the season, it’s that Michigan committed 20 personal fouls. While this isn’t a pretty number, no Wolverine finished with more than three fouls, and none of Michigan’s players were ever really in any foul trouble.

The Wolverines were also able to get deep bench players like Oscar Goodman, Malick Kordel and Howard Eisley Jr. some run. Goodman finished with six points in 11 minutes of action, Kordel scored four points in seven minutes, and Eisley got on the floor for just the fifth time this season, as the Wolverines blew a goodbye kiss to Penn State and sent the Nittany Lions back to State College with a brutal defeat.

With Michigan’s 41-point victory, it marks the Wolverines’ seventh win by 40 points or more this season. The Wolverines are now 11-1 in Big Ten play, which is tied with Illinois for the league lead.

Up next, U-M will take a trip down south to Columbus to take on rival Ohio State. In the first meeting between the two rivals, Michigan outlasted the Buckeyes by a final score of 74-62 at Crisler Center on Jan. 23. Sunday’s game between the Maize and Blue and Scarlet and Grey will tip off at 1 p.m. ET, and the game will air live on CBS.