Before Friday night’s game against Sacramento State, Michigan coach Tommy Amaker told his team it would be the biggest game of the season.

Sacramento State? With No. 10 Arizona up next, either Providence or No. 2 Wake Forest after that and No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 3 Georgia Tech just down the road?

But Amaker was referring to how difficult it would be to focus on executing against an easier opponent in-between rounds of the Preseason NIT. And at first it was, as Michigan led by just three at halftime, 34-31.

But thanks to sophomore Brent Petway’s explosiveness, a 24-6 advantage in points from the free-throw line and stellar second-half defense, the Wolverines were able to overcome a slow start and beat the Hornets, 70-49.

“I don’t think we were looking past them,” Amaker said. “I don’t think we have the kind of team or the kind of kids at this stage of our tenure here in the program that they would do something like that. They are more mature than that.”

Sacramento State was able to stifle the Wolverines early, playing heavy perimeter defense. Guards Dion Harris and Daniel Horton combined to shoot just 4-of-13 in the first half, committing as many combined turnovers — four — as assists.

That helped the Hornets (0-1) stick with Michigan (3-0) throughout the first half. Sacramento outrebounded the Wolverines 24 to 15 and kept them scoreless for over seven minutes during the latter part of the period.

Logging his first start of the year — in place of the injured Graham Brown — Petway fulfilled his normal energizer role. With a little more than two minutes remaining before the half, Petway had blocks on successive plays that invigorated the crowd and his teammates.

“They kept throwing it up, and I kept trying to go get it,” Petway said. “I was mad at myself (during Wednesday’s game against Colorado). I missed a couple so I knew I had to make it up one way or another.”

Said Horton: “He does it every game. We don’t take him for granted. We love his energy and the excitement that he brings. And we’re starting to expect it from him now. Once you do it a couple of times, that becomes your role. He’s a guy that loves and embraces his role.”

Petway helped Michigan limp to a 34-31 halftime lead behind five first-half blocks and one energy-boosting dunk.

Sacramento State’s perimeter defense had less of an effect in the second half. The Wolverines began to work the ball into the paint more. They completed 9-of-12 field goal attempts and went to the free-throw line 19 times.

“Just in terms of our frontline strength, we try and make sure we utilize the frontline very well and get a high percentage shot,” Amaker said. “If (we) get the ball inside, we are probably going to get to the free throw line.”

Michigan extended its lead to 46-36 five minutes into the second half, thanks to a Petway dunk on a pretty feed from Horton. As the Wolverines began to pull away, the Hornets —possibly in an effort to stay away from Petway — began to rely on three-point shooting to get back into the game. But Sacramento State shot just 2-for-11 from beyond the arc in the second half.

“When you look at the second half, our defense was the key for us,” Amaker said. “I thought we continued to shoot the free throws well. That’s been key for us this year and we’ve been able to use the free throw line as an offensive weapon.”

Michigan racked up 34 free-throw attempts to the Hornets’ six.

Sophomore Courtney Sims converted on 7-of-9 free throws and led the Wolverines with 17 points and nine rebounds. Last Wednesday against Colorado, Sims took 16 shots and never went to the free-throw line.

“That’s a significant improvement from the way he played (against the Buffaloes),” said Amaker about Sims’s ability to get to the line on Friday. “He’s been cashing in once he gets around the free-throw line. I think he played his best game of this season (on Friday).”

Joining Brown on the sidelines, wing Lester Abram did not play against the Hornets. Amaker did not comment on Abram’s absence, who injured his shoulder in last year’s Big Ten Tournament against Iowa. Junior Sherrod Harrell started in Abram’s place. It is unclear whether Brown or Abram will start Wednesday against Arizona in the Preseason NIT semifinals in New York.