Wolverines Hold Off Buckeyes in 71-67 Victory

The No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines edged out the No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes, 71-67, in a contest that came down to the final minute. From the opening tip, the Wolverines set the tone, racing out to a 15-5 lead behind Morez Johnson Jr.’s quick start and Trey McKenney’s sharp shooting. But the Buckeyes, led by Bruce Thornton and Devin Royal, refused to let the game slip away. Thornton’s buzzer-beating jumper to close the first half trimmed Michigan’s lead to 39-35, setting the stage for a nail-biting second half.

Ohio State came out of the break determined, tying the game at 44 on a Christoph Tilly layup. Michigan answered with a 7-0 run, but the Buckeyes kept coming, with Thornton’s three-pointer pulling them within one. Moments later, Royal buried a clutch triple to give Ohio State their first lead of the game, 61-60, with just over five minutes to play.

The Wolverines, however, showed their resilience. Aday Mara took control, scoring key baskets in the paint, while Elliot Cadeau calmly sank free throws to regain the lead. With the game hanging in the balance, Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg stepped to the line and delivered two clutch free throws in the final seconds, sealing the win for Michigan.

Mara led the Wolverines with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Thornton’s 22 points kept Ohio State in the fight. Michigan’s depth and composure proved decisive, as they led for all but 54 seconds in a thrilling battle that showcased the best of Big Ten basketball.

No. 1 seed Michigan advances to take on the winner of No. 5 seed Wisconsin/No. 4 seed Illinois in the quarterfinals at 12 p.m. CT tomorrow on CBS. Want to see the semifinal in person in Chicago?  Click here .

Full game breakdown below. 👇 Get  more tournament stories here .

First Half: Michigan pulls ahead, Buckeyes right behind

• Michigan starts the game strong with a 7-0 run, led by four quick points from Morez Johnson Jr.
• The teams trade buckets before the Wolverines go on another 7-0 spurt, including a triple from hot-hand Trey McKenney. It's 15-5 Michigan with 14:47 to go.
• The Buckeyes counter with a 6-0 run to pull within four. Devin Royal leads the way so far with five points. 15-11 Wolverines (12:14).
• McKenney gets five more points for the Wolverines. He has eight at the 11:25 mark to lead Michigan to a 20-11 advantage.
• Both squads score as John Mobley Jr. (OSU, five points), Elliot Cadeau (MICH, five points), and Aday Mara (MICH, two points) get on the board. 31-21 Michigan with 4:57 left in the half.
• Thornton leads Ohio State to a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to four! 31-27, 3:51 on the clock.
• A couple Buckeye triples make it a one-possession game! The Wolverines have a 35-33 edge with 1:35 to go.
• After a crazy sequence, Mara slams down an alley-oop in transition. before Cadeau hits two from the charity stripe. 39-33 Michigan with 19 seconds left.
• Thornton comes through with a buzzer-beating two, and it's 39-35 Wolverines at the break.
• Key Contributors: Thornton leads all scorers with 13 points in the opening period. Mobley Jr. and Royal tack on another seven each for OSU. McKenney leads Michigan with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting (two from beyond the arc) followed by seven from Cadeau.
• Notable: Michigan is shooting 50% from the field and from three-point range. The Wolverines are showcasing their depth early with 14 bench points vs. OSU's two. They're also pushing the pace (18 points on the fast break) and putting on the pressure (15 points off turnovers).
• Notable: The Buckeyes are currently winning the battle on the glass, 19-14, led by five boards from Amare Bynum.

Second Half: Buckeyes make it a battle

• After a couple baskets for each team, a Christoph Tilly layup ties the game at 44! (17:22).
• A 7-0 Michigan run grabs the Wolverines' advantage right back, led by four more points from Cadeau! 51-44 Michigan.
• Ohio State gets five unanswered points, capped of by a Thornton three, to pull back within one! 53-52 edge to the Wolverines with 11:25 on the clock.
• Mara pulls the Wolverines ahead with six straight points! 59-52, 9:20 remaining.
• The Buckeyes refuse to go away. They put up four to inch closer, 59-56.
• OHIO STATE TAKES THE LEAD! DEVIN ROYAL buries a three to take a 61-60 edge! (5:40).
• Michigan responds right away! Cadeau earns a couple trips to the charity stripe, and Johnson Jr. gets a layup on the fast break to make it 65-62 Wolverines with 3:35 to go.
• Thornton chips into the lead with a pair of free throws before Mara responds with a quick two. 67-64, 2:56.
• Royal makes a jumper. 69-67 Michigan with just 6.5 seconds remaining. Wolverines' basketball.
• OSU fouls, and Yaxel Lendeborg makes two clutch free throws to close out the win! Wolverines advance, 71-67.
• Notable: Four Wolverines finish in double figures, led by Mara (17 points, seven rebounds). Mara came up with "some of the biggest loose basketballs of the game," according to head coach Dusty May. Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg finished with six points, five rebounds, and six assists. Michigan led for all but 54 seconds of the game.
• Key contributor (OSU): Bruce Thornton (22 points).

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