- Michigan basketball defeated Maryland 81-80 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal with a last-second layup by Tre Donaldson.
- The Wolverines dominated the boards, outrebounding the Terrapins 47-18, which proved crucial for their victory.
- The Wolverines will face Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament championship game on Sunday.
INDIANAPOLIS − With 10 minutes to play in Saturday’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal between Michigan basketball and Maryland, Danny Wolf had recorded 13 rebounds. The same amount as the Terrapins’ entire team. Combined.
Moments later, U-M had officially tripled up the Terps on the glass, 39-13, a trend that nearly held true the entire way. U-M put together its best rebounding effort of the season, out-toughing Maryland to the tune of a 47-18 margin on the afternoon, as the 29-rebound discrepancy more than made up for losing the turnover battle, 19-6.
It also set the tone for Michigan, which allowed a furious second-half comeback attempt from Kevin Willard’s group. But thanks to Tre Donaldson’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 27.9 seconds left and then his eventual game-winning layup with 0.4 seconds left − on a coast-to-coast 94-foot sprint with 5.8 seconds left and the Wolverines out of timeouts − U-M survived with a miraculous 81-80 victory over Maryland.
“Incredibly pleased,” U-M coach Dusty May said postgame of his team’s work on the boards. “Obviously Tre’s shot or shots − he made the big three right before that − are the ones that will be on the news, Sportscenter or whatever the case. The one that jumps out is the rugby scrum. Loose ball, looked like Maryland had it, Roddy Gayle and one of our other guys came out with it.
“For us to advance when we’re not playing well, those toughness plays have to be tilted in our favor.”
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‘Tired of getting punked’
Michigan’s roster is the fifth tallest in all of college basketball according to KenPom, yet there’s no doubt U-M struggled on the glass this year as the No. 202-ranked country for allowing offensive rebounds (30.2%).
That couldn’t have been more different at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, as U-M turned 18 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points while Maryland grabbed just four offensive boards for four second-chance points.
“I feel like we got tired of getting punked,” Roddy Gayle Jr. said. “Last few games we lost, we got punked on the glass and I feel like that’s been a key contributor of our losses. We lose games when we get out-rebounded.
“Our guys had to take that into account, and take responsibility to be able to get hits and finish plays.”
Per usual, Area-51 was nearly unstoppable. Vlad Goldin led the way with 25 points and 10 boards while Danny Wolf added 21 points and 14 rebounds, which included consecutive offensive boards and putbacks in the first half to spark a 12-0 run as a seven-point deficit turned into a five-point lead.
But the best part of the afternoon was the assistance they got.
Though it might not be eye-popping, the combination of Donaldson, Gayle and Nimari Burnett combined for 10 boards, which is how many Maryland’s entire team not named Derik Queen or Julian Reese had all together.
“When the guards rebound down, it creates that break so much easier,” Will Tschetter said. “Helps us play with a higher spirit, higher motor and just helps our offense. Then when we’re scoring, it helps us get our defense set and everything is better.”
Winning plays
Rebounds, of course, don’t win games by themselves. The ball has to go in the bucket, too.
At long last, that happened as well. Michigan made 7-of-18 3-pointers (38.9%) snapping a 14-game skid of shooting 35% or worse from long range. Perhaps the best moment was when Gayle Jr. drilled a 3-pointer from the wing late in the first half to knot the game at 34-34 as part of U-M’s closing 9-2 run. It was his first 3-pointer since Jan. 27, snapping a streak of 18 misses.
Another underrated moment came with the game tied at 71-71. Goldin hit a contested 3 from the right wing, snapping his streak of 11 consecutive missed long balls, and held up three fingers to celebrate. Combined, they’d missed 29 attempts in a row before those makes.
“Man, that’s like picking between your favorite kid,” Tschetter said when asked which made him smile bigger. “Just seeing Rod’s three fall, I think it’s a testament to his belief in himself and his confidence coming back. …
“He’s never quit on this team, just super happy the way he’s played the last two games. March Roddy is a little different.”
As big as both long balls were, the most important 3 of the game came from Donaldson, when he came around a Goldin screen from the right wing, rose up and found the bottom of the bucket to go up three with 27.9 ticks to go.
It was the biggest shot of Donaldson’s career − for about three minutes.
More: Michigan vs Maryland Big Ten tournament recap: How Tre Donaldson sent U-M to Big Ten finale
Wolf went to the line to ice the game, up by one, but missed the front of a one-and-one. He apologized to the team when Donaldson re-assured him: “I got this.”
Rubin Jones fouled out with 5.8 seconds left, sending Queen to the line, with the Terps down one. U-M was out of timeouts at the time, but the substitution allowed May to draw up something quick as he changed his lineup. Sure enough Maryland hit both free throws, setting Donaldson up for his moment.
He inbounded the ball to Goldin, got the handoff back, then raced down the court, past Queen, who had a team-high 31 points, as well as Julian Reese as he flipped in a left-handed finger roll with 0.4 seconds left for the win.
“It’s at the top,” Donaldson said of the moment. “Being at a school like Michigan, the legacy it has, it’s just a blessing to have the opportunity.”
Michigan will play Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament championship on Sunday afternoon. Then, 30 minutes after its over, the NCAA selection committee will announce the bracket. U-M will find out its opponent and destination.
It’s a strange day, playing for a trophy, but at the same time knowing the celebration must end (win or lose) when the Wolverines leave the locker room. It will be time to turn the page, yet again, but first things first for U-M.
“We’re thinking about one thing right now, that’s beat Wisconsin,” Jones said. “We’re playing for a championship, that’s what we came here for.”
Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
