Michigan
1-1,0-0Big Ten
Wake Forest
3-0,0-0ACC
U-M Drops Tight Game Against Wake Forest in Deacon-Wolverine Challenge
11/10/2024 4:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The University of Michigan men's basketball team dropped a tight contest to Wake Forest on Sunday (Nov. 10), falling 72-70 in the Deacon-Wolverine Challenge.
Leaders and Best
Roddy Gayle Jr. led the way for the Wolverines with 11 points, four rebounds and two assists. Tre Donaldson added 10 points, nine rebounds and four assists. L.J. Cason contributed key minutes off the bench, adding 10 points and four assists.
The Turning Point
With less than a minute to go and the Wolverines trailing by two, a Michigan turnover off a Gayle slip led to a dunk in transition for Wake Forest as the Demon Deacons went up 67-63 with 40.8 seconds remaining. The teams traded free throws in the final minute, with the Wolverines ultimately falling, 72-70.
Second Half
Wake Forest (3-0) started the second half going 3-for-3 from behind the arc, taking the lead for the first time at the 15:56 mark with a 44-43 advantage. After the Demon Deacons went 5-for-5 over a 2:30 span, Nimari Burnett hit a three-pointer to stop the run. A transition layup from Cason helped Michigan (1-1) retake the lead 52-49.
Wake Forest responded with a 6-0 run, hitting 4-of-5 shots from the field while Michigan went 0-for-5, allowing the Demon Deacons to retake the lead 59-57 at the media timeout with 7:53 remaining. Vladislav Goldin ended a five-minute Michigan scoring drought with two much-needed layups, cutting the Wake Forest lead to 65-61 with 3:53 to play.
Michigan's offense struggled down the stretch, failing to convert a field goal attempt in the last 3:48 of the game. The teams traded free throws to close out the game, with Michigan shooting 80 percent from the line (12-for-15) and Wake Forest converting 74 percent (14-for-19).
First Half
After a slow start offensively, two three-pointers from Rubin Jones sparked a 10-0 Michigan run to lead 18-6 with 11:55 to go, forcing a Wake Forest timeout. The Demon Deacons began to find rhythm around the rim, with 12 of their first 14 points coming in the paint, trailing 25-14 at the under-eight media timeout.
Wake Forest found success on the offensive glass, bringing down eight of their misses and scoring eight second-chance points in the first half.
Sam Walters hit a pair of three-pointers while Michigan's offense stagnated, but Wake Forest responded and closed the half on a 10-0 run. Then, with 1.5 seconds to go, Donaldson knocked down a half-court heave, capping off a strong half with eight points, six rebounds, and three assists.
What's Next
Michigan will host TCU at the Crisler Center on Friday (Nov. 15) at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on FS1.
Notes
• Donaldson grabbed a career-high nine rebounds, topping his previous high of seven last achieved against Vanderbilt (Jan. 31, 2024).
• Michigan shot 80 percent from the free throw line, improving on its 59 percent effort vs. Cleveland State (Nov. 4).
• Three different Wolverines dished out four assists: Donaldson, Cason, and Danny Wolf.
