In a thrilling Big Ten Tournament opener, 1-seed Michigan basketball edged out No. 9 Ohio State with a 71-67 victory, completing a historic three-game sweep of the Buckeyes. This win propels Michigan into the tournament semifinals, where they'll face the winner of the Illinois-Wisconsin matchup.
Early on, it seemed Michigan might coast to victory, jumping to a 10-point lead just over five minutes into the game. However, Ohio State chipped away, closing the gap to two points by the final minute of the first half and heading into the locker room down by four. By the first media timeout in the second half, the game was knotted at 44.
Michigan maintained control for the first 34 minutes, leading by seven with just over nine minutes remaining. But Ohio State surged with a 10-1 run, highlighted by a Devin Royal three-pointer that gave them their first lead. A Christoph Tilly free throw pushed the score to 62-60 in favor of the Buckeyes.
Elliot Cadeau's clutch free throws tied the game, and although Michigan went over six minutes without a field goal, they regained the lead through a goaltending call on Morez Johnson Jr.'s layup attempt. Cadeau's free throw extended the lead, and after Bruce Thornton's pair of free throws brought Ohio State within one, Cadeau dished a perfect pass to Mara for a layup, pushing Michigan ahead.
Yaxel Lendeborg's free throw made it a two-possession game, and after Mara contested a Thornton layup, Michigan held the ball up four with a minute left. Ohio State's Royal hit a free throw to cut the lead, but missed the second.
Cadeau split from the line, and Royal's floater brought it to 69-67 with 6.3 seconds remaining. Lendeborg sealed the win with two more free throws.
Ohio State ran out of steam, hitting just two of their last 12 shots after taking their first lead, and only one field goal in the final 5:41.
Mara led Michigan with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Cadeau added 15 points and seven assists. Trey McKenney and Morez Johnson Jr. contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively. For Ohio State, Thornton scored 22, Royal had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Mobley added 12 points.
The game was a rollercoaster, tied at 44 when Ohio State went cold, missing seven consecutive shots. Cadeau took charge, driving for a layup, lobbing an and-one to Mara, and hitting free throws during a 7-0 Michigan run. Ohio State fought back within one after a Thornton three-pointer, but Cadeau's lob to Mara for a slam restored Michigan's lead, sparking a Mara-led run that included a midrange jumper and two free throws.
In the first half, Michigan's depth was key, with McKenney providing a spark off the bench, scoring eight of 10 Michigan points in a quick stretch. The Wolverines capitalized on fast breaks, with Nimari Burnett's three-pointer and subsequent fastbreak plays helping Michigan to a 29-18 lead.
Ohio State clawed back, leveraging offensive rebounds, including a Brandon Noel tip-in that ignited a 12-4 run. But Michigan's transition game struck again, with Lendeborg's hustle leading to a Mara slam, keeping the Wolverines ahead in a hard-fought contest.