Michigan 74, Ohio State 62: Wolverines Clamp Down, Pull Away Late in Rivalry Clash
On a night when Michigan honored one of its all-time greats, the current Wolverines took a page from Trey Burke’s playbook-and then added a few of their own. Despite a cold shooting night from deep, Michigan found its rhythm when it mattered most, using a combination of timely shot-making, physical defense, and foul pressure to pull away from Ohio State in the second half for a 74-62 win.
The Turning Point
It was only fitting that on a night celebrating Trey Burke’s legendary deep three against Kansas, the Wolverines would get their own long-range heroics. Michigan had gone ice cold from beyond the arc-no threes in the second half-until junior guard Elliot Cadeau stepped up and delivered two massive triples from the left wing, both well beyond the arc. Think Burke range.
Those back-to-back daggers pushed Michigan’s lead to 60-51, giving them their first real breathing room of the night. From there, the Wolverines never looked back. The game had been a tightrope walk up to that point, but Cadeau’s shots gave Michigan the momentum-and the cushion-it needed to close things out.
What We Learned
Michigan didn’t win this one with flash-they won it with grit. The Wolverines turned the ball over 14 times and shot just 22% from three-point range.
That’s usually a recipe for trouble. But they compensated by attacking the rim with purpose and locking in defensively, especially against one of the Big Ten’s most potent backcourts.
Ohio State’s offense lives and dies with Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr., and Friday night was no different. Mobley got his-scoring from all three levels-but Michigan made life tough for Thornton, who came in averaging 20 points per game.
Thornton was held to just 10 points and two assists on 3-of-11 shooting, largely due to Michigan’s relentless pressure and smart defensive rotations. He also dealt with foul trouble, which limited his impact in key stretches.
The Wolverines were content to let Mobley cook, as long as they could neutralize Thornton-and that strategy paid off.
Trey McKenney Steps Up
With Cadeau battling foul trouble and graduate guard Nimari Burnett struggling to find his rhythm, Michigan needed someone to step into the void. Enter freshman guard Trey McKenney.
McKenney made one of the game’s biggest plays midway through the second half, driving past Thornton for a pair of free throws that not only cut the Buckeyes’ lead to two but also sent Thornton to the bench with his third foul. That sequence shifted the momentum-and McKenney wasn’t done.
He finished with 12 points, didn’t turn the ball over, and consistently found lanes to the rim. His ability to attack off the dribble and finish through contact helped Michigan rack up fouls on Ohio State’s thin rotation, a critical factor in the game’s final stretch.
The Stat That Mattered
Foul trouble haunted Ohio State all night. By the under-12 timeout in the second half, four of the Buckeyes’ five starters had three fouls. For a team that leans heavily on its starting unit and lacks depth, that was a major problem.
Thornton’s third foul came with more than 16 minutes left to play-just the third time all season he’d picked up three or more. Forward Devin Royal and center Christop Tilly also found themselves in foul trouble, forcing the Buckeyes to turn to their bench, which couldn’t keep pace with Michigan’s energy and execution.
Final Word
This was a classic Big Ten slugfest-messy, physical, and decided in the margins. Michigan didn’t shoot the lights out, but they didn’t need to.
They defended, they attacked the rim, and they made smart plays when it counted. And in a rivalry game like this, that’s often the difference.
On a night dedicated to one of Michigan’s most iconic moments, the Wolverines may have created a few new ones of their own.