ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan basketball has been something of an inverse of its gridiron counterparts, finding ways to lose of late instead of hanging on to win. But if there was a game that the Wolverines really wanted — and needed — this season, it was to beat the rival Buckeyes.
Michigan enters the game at 6-10 while OSU is 12-4, but the Bucks are 2-3 in-conference — just one game better than the maize and blue.
The Wolverines appeared disjointed in a lot of ways, but still scored in bunches. After a couple of 8-0 runs in the first half, Michigan had a nine-point lead at halftime, but had to hold on in order to maintain victory in the second half.
Michigan had a 12-point lead, but mistakes and fouls on the defensive end kept it close, with the Buckeyes pulling within one with 10 minutes remaining. Just a minute and a half later, OSU had a one-point lead. 30 seconds later, it was a four-point Ohio State lead.
Would the Wolverines follow the typical script, allowing themselves to be pushed around in the waning minutes to lose after dominating much of the game?
Michigan ended up pushing it to a six-point lead again, but with just minutes remaining in the game, OSU was making another run. A blocking foul was called on Nimari Burnett with the maize and blue up just four, even though it appeared as if an Ohio State player had elbowed him in the face. 1:14 left in the game, Michigan maintained the four-point lead, and Olivier Nkamhoua drained a floater to push the lead back to six. But OSU guard Bruce Thornton hit a floater on the other end to keep it a four-point game with 52.8 seconds remaining.
However, another timely 3 from Terrance Williams helped the Wolverines pull away to ultimately beat the rival Buckeyes, 73-65.
Here are our five takeaways.