JOEY BAKER

Michigan was good, but not quite good enough. These Wolverines believe they are a good team that just hasn’t shown it where it counts the most, in their win-loss record. “If you actually look into the games and not into the box scores, you would see that we’re a really good team that just can’t finish games,” Dickinson said. We know we’re better than what our record says, we know we’re better than what the media says.”While a better finish could have changed the outcome, that wasn’t really Michigan’s problem on Thursday. “We play a lot of really good teams so we’ll have our opportunities,” Baker said.

The Boilermakers’ 15-0 run gave them a 41-28 lead with three minutes left in the first half. Michigan started the second half with consecutive turnovers and fell behind 46-35. Michigan made nine 3s to Purdue’s five (albeit on 13 more attempts); Michigan had half as many turnovers (just six) as Purdue; Michigan yielded just six offensive rebounds. Edey scored his team’s first seven points, with two early post-ups on Dickinson and an improbable tip-in. Michigan scored the next seven points to close the half and make it 41-35 at the break.

ANN ARBOR -- Michigan beat Minnesota 60-56 at Crisler Center on Sunday but lost Jett Howard to an injury. Joey Baker started the second half for Howard, with head coach Juwan Howard also sliding starter Terrance Williams II to that spot and using Will Tschetter at power forward. Michigan started the second half strong to seize control, and didn’t let the visitors get closer than three over the final 13:35. After his long stint on the bench, Garcia opened the second half with a 3. Dickinson blocked a shot and, 10 seconds later, scored to cut Minnesota’s lead to 20-18.

Baker converted a couple of Michigan State fans -- friends of his family who live outside Lansing -- who will wear Michigan gear at the Breslin Center on Saturday afternoon. Michigan and Michigan State are both playing well entering their first of two regular-season meetings this season. Related: Michigan building winning habits just in time for Michigan State matchupThe Central Michigan game was a turning point for Michigan, but assistant coach Phil Martelli was quick to point out on Friday that the Wolverines fed off their home crowd in subsequent wins over Maryland and Penn State. But it’s real.”Since Juwan Howard became Michigan’s head coach three seasons ago, Michigan and Michigan State have split their six matchups, with the home team winning each one. I’m betting on hitting back.”Baker is in his first season with Michigan after transferring from Duke, where he faced Michigan State in each of his four seasons.

“The little details Coach always talks about go a long way.”With a trip to Michigan State up next, the Wolverines appear to be figuring out how to win. Every time Penn State surged, Michigan answered. After Penn State used an 11-0 run early in the second half to tie the game, Michigan went on a 14-0 run. Though Tschetter didn’t see the court against Penn State, he remained a vocal cheerleader. We’re really starting to do that now.”Next up, on Saturday afternoon, is a matchup with a Michigan State team that has won five in a row.

Central Michigan closed out the 2022 portion of its basketball season Thursday by recoding one of its biggest victories in years. Kobe Bufkin had 16 points to lead Michigan, Dickinson added 13, Jett Howard had 12 and Dug McDaniel supplied 12. Both teams played poorly in the first half, which ended with Michigan leading 28-27 thanks to Joey Baker’s 3-pointer with six seconds left. Howard led Michigan with nine points. NOTEABLEHoward’s 3-pointer for Michigan in the first quarter marked the 12th straight game this season he’s hit a triple.

NEW YORK -- Michigan pummeled Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, 90-61, easily Michigan’s best all-around performance of this young season. He pointed to Michigan’s poor shooting numbers outside of Dickinson and clearly made the big man the focus of his defense. He posted a plus-15 in his 25 minutes, which means Michigan was even better without him on the floor on Wednesday. Duggie shinesThere was a moment in Michigan’s prior game, against Eastern Michigan in Detroit, when Howard urged McDaniel, a freshman, to slow down. Given all the shooting Michigan lost from last season, and some of the questions about who would fill that void, Baker’s play -- including his shooting -- will be important all season.

Hunter Dickinson scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked three shots in Michigan’s 75-56 win over visiting Purdue Fort Wayne on opening night of the 2022-23 season. Fort Wayne hung around, but never got closer than 12 in the second half. Michigan led 59-35, and Fort Wayne took a timeout with 12:50 left. Fort Wayne committed 12 first-half turnovers. Michigan will play Eastern Michigan, led by Ypsilanti native Emoni Bates, at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Friday (9 p.m.

It’s the start of the 2022-23 college basketball season, and just like years past, the Michigan Wolverines are entering the season ranked in the AP Top 25 at No. 22.

There have been workouts throughout the summer, but Monday (Sep. 26) was the first official day of practice for the Michigan men’s basketball team. The team’s official Twitter account released a short video of players running sprints inside the practice facility. “Day 1 of practice starts today.”Strength coach Jon Sanderson, who recently spoke to MLive about individual summer workouts, is shown encouraging the players. ⏰⌛️ pic.twitter.com/d0DRxbUq7f — Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) September 26, 2022Monday was the first day of practice because it is 42 days before Michigan’s first regular-season game, set for Nov. 7 at home against Purdue Fort Wayne. Michigan will be able to practice 30 times during that period.

Joey Baker and Jaelin Llewellyn have eight years of college experience between them and 165 games. For the third straight year, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard landed a grad transfer point guard out of the transfer portal. “His level of production with the ball in his hands, whether decision making or shooting,” Howard said on Thursday (Aug. 11). Michigan him at 6-foot-7 and as a guard; he told MLive he viewed himself as a shooting guard or small forward. We’re going to need a healthy Joey for November.”Like Llewellyn, Baker brings shooting to Ann Arbor: He hit 41 percent last season.

A month after that, Duke noted Baker had entered the transfer portal. Unlike many players in his position, Baker didn’t publicize his suitors on social media or release a list of finalists. Washington is the lone coach from that time still on staff, and Baker didn’t have much of a connection with anyone else inside the Michigan program. “I think I have a lot more to show than what was seen at Duke,” Baker said. Michigan, Baker believes, is capable of great things in 2022-23.

The Michigan men’s basketball team has added another graduate transfer to its roster. Joey Baker, who played the past four seasons at Duke, announced his commitment to Michigan today, per Sports Illustrated’s Jason Jordan. In addition to a four-man freshman class, Michigan brought in Princeton graduate transfer Jaelin Llewellyn, a point guard. In mid-April, Duke announced that Baker underwent surgery to repair a hip injury and that he’d use his fifth year of eligibility -- allowed by the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver -- to play a final season at Duke. A month later, the program announced he’d entered the transfer portal.

The Duke transfer has visited three schools, Michigan among them, and should announce his decision soon, according to his adviser. Baker visited Ann Arbor last week. If Baker was interested, Cannon forwarded the school Baker’s contact info. “Joey was intrigued by the opportunity and after speaking to the staff -- Michigan is Michigan,” Cannon told MLive by phone on Wednesday. Michigan, Cannon said, had a great presentation.

Their decisions have left Michigan with a pair of open scholarships for the 2022-23 season, and it’s possible one or both is filled through the transfer portal. This space published a list of Michigan’s potential transfer portal targets last week. Forward Mouhamed Gueye opted to withdraw from the portal to stay with the Cougars while Tennessee guard Justin Powell committed there. Illinois’ Jacob Grandison, a 6-foot-6 wing, entered the portal last week after withdrawing from the NBA draft. Grandison scored nine points over two games against Michigan last season.

Exactly 10 years after a bunch of one-and-done phenoms for Kentucky cut down the nets in the Big Easy, there is a much more old-school feel to this year’s Final Four.

The famed rivalry between No. 9 Duke and North Carolina is changing.

Mark Williams had 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks to lead eighth-ranked Duke’s dominant effort inside as the Blue Devils beat North Carolina State 88-73.

Paolo Banchero had 23 points and second-ranked Duke shot 62% after halftime to beat Virginia Tech 76-65 in its Atlantic Coast Conference opener.

Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Lansing Catholic Central are no strangers to the big stage when it comes to Michigan high school football. WIDE RECEIVERSDylan Cragg, Grayling; Karon Allen, Detroit Southeastern; Ronin Russell-Dixon, Grand Rapids Catholic Central; Dawson John, Clare; Logan Anthony, Essexville Garber; Parker Grzegorczyk, Midland Bullock Creek. LINEBACKERSBennett VandenBerg, Constantine; Owen Griffith, Constantine; Joey McHugh, Boyne City; Jack Cook, Grand Rapids Catholic Central. COACHESScott Shankel, Reed City; Todd Kolster, Grand Rapids Catholic Central; Phil Martin, Frankenmuth. MOREMeet the 2021 Michigan high school football all-state team for Divisions 7-8Meet the 2021 Associated Press All-State team for eight-player football

DETROIT, MI -- Lansing Catholic defeated Warren Michigan Collegiate 16-6, clinching the MHSAA Division 6 football state championship on Friday, Nov. 26 at Ford Field. Lansing Catholic rode its defense to the program’s second state title in the past three years. RELATED: Lansing Catholic’s special defense paves way for second state title in three yearsThe Cougars allowed just 40 points in the postseason and only allowed more than 10 points once – and just 13 in that game – during the state title run. RELATED: Warren Michigan Collegiate hopes state runner-up finish leads to more recognition for programWarren Michigan Collegiate found some footing with its passing game as quarterback Deion Black completed 10-of-26 passes for 220 yards and the lone TD to Tre’von Redding in the second half. The final four state championship football games will continue Saturday, Nov. 27 at Ford Field in Detroit.

“Defense just stepped up big time in the playoffs,” Baker said after the game. The Cougars allowed just 40 points in the postseason and only allowed more than 10 points once – and just 13 in that game – during the state title run. “Our defense is just something special,” said Lansing Catholic senior Max Knippen, who caught an interception to seal the win for the Cougars. Lansing Catholic allowed just 40 yards of total offense in the first half and gave up just 85 rushing yards, which forced Michigan Collegiate to pass and led to four interceptions, including a forced fumble. Owen Biergans caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Joey Baker to give Lansing Catholic a 9-0 lead at halftime.

Plenty can go wrong -- and plenty did go wrong -- on the simplest of plays for Lansing Catholic Central. The win sends LCC to the state final to face Warren Michigan Collegiate at 4:30 p.m. Friday. But each time it looked like things were going bad for the Cougars, they made something positive happen. The Lansing Catholic Central and Standish-Sterling captains meet prior to the Division 6 state semifinal. Baker was 11 of 23 passing for 105 yards for LCC while rushing for 77 yards on 14 carries.

Lansing Catholic won the game over Almont, 31-17.J. Scott Park | MLive.comThe Lansing Catholic football program knew they were in for a battle with the defending Division 6 state champions from Montague. Lansing Catholic responded quickly, however, and outscored Montague 24-0 to end the half with a tidal wave of momentum. Lansing Catholic outgained Montague 300-166 in total yardage, including a 213-62 advantage in the passing game. Things began to snowball on Montague after that, as another fumble on offense gave Lansing Catholic a short field to work with.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is facing a changing landscape in men's basketball amid coaching retirements, roster upheaval and a bumpy showing in last year's NCAA Tournament.

Freeland is at Grand Rapids Catholic Central, while Frankenmuth is at home against Lansing Catholic Central. Can Frankenmuth put enough pressure on Lansing Catholic quarterback Joey Baker to keep him from finding Watters and Brandon Lewis downfield? Will Lansing Catholic and former Ithaca coach Jim Ahern find a way to slow down the Eagles on offense and defense? Freeland (9-1) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (9-0), 1 p.m. SaturdayGrand Rapids Catholic Central is considered one of the top teams in the state … regardless of class. MOREFacts and Figures for Freeland, Frankenmuth Division 5 semifinalsFreeland standout Cole Wiese grateful for playoff opportunityFrankenmuth linebacker Konner Roche takes wrestling moves to football field

1 in The Associated Press mens college basketball poll following Kentuckys surprising loss to Evansville. The Blue Devils received 52 first-place votes from a 65-member media panel in the poll released Monday. 3 Michigan State, the preseason No. 1 last week after knocking off top-ranked Michigan State to open the season. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25