DEARBORN, Mich. - It was a historic night for the University of Michigan-Dearborn men's basketball team as Jason Penn (JR/Detroit, MI) reached a milestone and Marcus Williams (SR/Lagos, Nigeria) put on a show in a win over Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference foe Lawrence Tech Wednesday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.
Williams took over early, scoring 13 points, including three 3-pointers less than four minutes into the game. The Wolverines continued to roll the rest of the way in an 86-72 win, pushing UM-Dearborn to 17-8 overall and 11-6 in the WHAC.
Coming into the contest, Penn needed just eight points to reach 1,000 in his career. After watching Williams take over early, Penn got into the action late in the first half and after a breakaway dunk just after halftime, Penn sat just one point shy of the mark. Minutes later, Penn was fouled on a shot attempt and went to the line to shoot a pair of free throws. After the first one went off the rim, Penn sank the second, sending his teammates and the crowd into a frenzy of celebration.
Penn is the first UM-Dearborn men's basketball player to reach 1,000 points since Jamiel Strickland in 2014-15 and is the first to be recruited by head coach Taylor Langley. He finished the night with 13 points, including just the second made 3-pointer of his career shortly after he reached 1,000.
Williams continued his stellar senior season, notching a career high in scoring with 37 points on 15-of-27 shooting, while hitting five 3-pointers. Williams added six rebounds and two steals.
The Wolverines finished a robust 35-of-67 from the field, 11-of-25 from deep and 5-of-8 from the line, while finishing with 21 assists compared to just six turnovers.
Payton DeWildt led the Blue Devils with 15 points, while Travis Baker added 12 points and seven rebounds.
The Wolverines remain home to welcome Marygrove College at 3 p.m. Saturday at the UM-Dearborn Fieldhouse.
