Michigan
17-13,11-9Big Ten
Ohio State
19-10,12-8Big Ten
Wolverines Rally for Road Win at No. 23 Ohio State in Regular Season Finale
3/6/2022 5:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Michigan defeated No. 23 Ohio State in its regular season finale, 75-69, at Value City Arena.
» DeVante' Jones led the Wolverines with 21 points, nine assists and two steals.
» Terrance Williams II came off the bench for 17 points and tied his career-high with three three-pointers.
» U-M was without leading scorer and rebounder Hunter Dickinson due to a stomach ailment.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Playing without sophomore center Hunter Dickinson, graduate student DeVante' Jones had 21 points and nine rebounds to help the University of Michigan men's basketball team rally together on Sunday (March 6) to defeat No. 23 Ohio State, 75-69, at a sold out and raucous Value City Arena. The win is just U-M's second over a ranked opponent this season.
After trailing by seven at the half, the Wolverines used a 9-2 opening run in the second half to tie the game. Once U-M took the lead with 14 minutes to go, the Maize and Blue did not relinquish it, going up by as many as 12 points before sealing a 75-69 victory.
As he has done over the last month, Jones spearheaded the Wolverine offense down the stretch, scoring 14 of his team-best 21 points in the second half. Overall, he was 9-for-16 from the field with a 3-for-6 line from deep and added nine assists, two steals and a rebound. Filling in for Dickinson, freshman Moussa Diabate went 7-for-11 from the field for 14 points with seven rebounds and two assists.
Coming off the bench, sophomore Terrance Williams II tied his career-best with three three-pointers and had 17 points, including two game-clinching free throws. He finished with a career-best 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Graduate student Eli Brooks was U-M's fourth player in double figures as he closed with 14 points, a season-best seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
In a raucous Value City Arena, U-M (17-13, 11-9 B1G) and OSU worked at a frenetic pace going up and down throughout the first seven minutes before there was a stoppage whistle. With Hunter Dickinson unable to play due to a stomach ailment, U-M worked Diabate early as he scored the Wolverines' first four points, while Jones accounted for five including a tear drop triple. The Wolverines still trailed, 13-11, however, as Ohio State used three long range buckets -- including two from Justin Aherns -- to pace its starting offense.
The Buckeyes (19-10, 12-8 B1G) maintained a two point advantage, 22-20, after OSU's focus shifted down low. The Buckeyes' leading scorer E.J. Liddell finally got into the scoring column and Zed Key picked up two inside buckets to keep OSU in the lead. Frankie Collins attacked downhill for the Maize and Blue, getting two layups while Williams hit U-M's second triple to help the Wolverines stay in striking distance.
Following another three by Williams out of the timeout, OSU's Liddell scored five straight points to push the Buckeyes ahead, 27-23. Williams stayed red hot from deep as he knocked down his third triple and pushed the Wolverines within one, 27-26, at the under-four timeout. Over the final 3:30 of the half, a 6-0 run at the hands of Ohio State's Joey Brunk helped put the Buckeyes up by as many as nine, but Williams made a jumpshot right at the buzzer that put Michigan within seven, 37-30 at halftime.
In the first 20 minutes of action, Ohio State shot 55.6 percent from the field with four of eight buckets made from long range, while U-M shot 35.1 percent and matched four triples.
Coming out of the second half, the Wolverines chipped away at the Buckeye lead using three layups and a three-pointer by Brooks to tie it, 39-39. Michigan then rallied for a 7-0 run, using a triple from Jones, two made free throws from Brandon Johns Jr. and a layup from Williams to take a 49-43 lead heading into the under-12 timeout.
U-M continued to drive toward the basket and use the charity stripe as the Wolverines pushed their lead to double figures, 56-44, following three made free throws from Brooks after he was fouled on a long range attempt. Michigan's offense then stalled, and OSU went on a 7-0 run that forced U-M to call a timeout, leading 60-56 with 4:57 left.
Staying poised out of the timeout buckets by Jones and a dunk from Diabate, Michigan pushed its lead back to eight, 64-56 at the final media break. OSU used the fouls it had to give and was able to slow U-M down while scoring on the other end, and with 1:46 to play and the score 66-62 in favor of the Wolverines, freshman Kobe Bufkin drained a wide open three-pointer that gave the Maize and Blue back a seven-point advantage.
Following a Buckeye basket, Jones guided the Wolverines down the floor and as he was double-teamed, he found a wide open Diabate who dunked the ball and gave U-M a 71-63 advantage. A pair of free throws from Brooks and Williams over the final 40 seconds helped seal the win, 74-69, and gave Michigan its second win over a ranked opponent this season.
Michigan shot 41 percent from the field in the victory and were a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe. The Wolverine bench accounted for 24 points in the effort.
The Wolverines will transition into postseason play with the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The five-day event, Wednesday through Sunday (March 9-13), will crown a conference tournament champion who earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Michigan earned a first round bye for the tournament, but its opponent and game time is still to be determined.
