ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team extended their home winning streak to 11 games after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 76-72 inside Crisler Center.
Michigan needed a little March Madness in late January as they got big-time plays from junior point guard Tre Donaldson, who was the catalyst for the Wolverines' 9-0 run to end the game on top.
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The Wolverines (15-5, 7-2 Big Ten) led by as many as seven points in the second half but then went colder than the frigid temperatures experienced during the polar vortex.
Penn State went on a 15-3 run to take a five-point lead with over two minutes to play.
But Donaldson grabbed his cape as he sensed the Wolverines were down on their last leg.
Penn State had made their last four shots before Donaldson dished the rock to Roddy Gayle Jr. for a dunk to get the deficit down to 72-69 with 1:31 remaining.
He then knocked down a jumper to bring the game to 72-71 with 56 seconds.
Big man Danny Wolf got a tough block at the rim, which led to a stepback three-pointer in front of his bench to take a 74-71 lead with under 30 seconds remaining.
TRE DONALDSON.
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) January 28, 2025
Donaldson got a defensive rebound on the other end of the floor and was sent to the line, where he nailed both free throws to cap off the Wolverines' 9-0 run to end the game. His personal 7-0 run also helped them escape with the victory.
Tre with the individual 7-0 run to call game! https://t.co/MCKjHZ6WMO
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) January 28, 2025
Donaldson’s stepback three was Michigan’s 12th of the game, but the key was the turnover battle in which they finally won one, forcing Penn State into 18 while giving up nine in the game.
But the thriller in Crisler should have never happened as Michigan again played down to their competition.
The game, which should have been more of a route than a tough dogfight, was tied six times and had 10 lead changes. Like his NBA namesake, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, “Ice Tre,” led the team in scoring with 21 points and seven assists.
Wolf got back in the scoring column as he stepped up in Vladislav Goldin’s place due to illness by dropping 11 points and nine rebounds.
“I just remembered our talk after the Purdue game. What we needed to do different and like not just talking about it but being about it. I felt like that was our response in those last couple of seconds. I mean we went out there and got a stop like we did like that big block that nobody’s going to remember. There going to over look it but that was a huge time stop and just staying together.”
Tre Donaldson
The victory was pivotal to closing out January. Michigan will now face a tough gauntlet starting on Saturday (Feb. 1) when they travel to Jersey Mike’s Arena to take on the Rutgers Scarlett Knights at 3:30 p.m.
