Michigan entered the Big Ten Tournament as the top seed and left its quarterfinal matchup with exactly the kind of win that tests a team’s character. The Wolverines held off ninth-seeded Ohio State 71-67 on Friday in Chicago, completing a three-game season sweep of the Buckeyes and advancing to the semifinals for the second consecutive year.
The victory extended Michigan’s winning streak to five games and improved the Wolverines to 30-2 on the season. Ohio State, which arrived at 21-12 after beating Iowa on Thursday, could not overcome a cold finish that ultimately decided the outcome.
How Michigan built its lead
The Wolverines came out with energy and depth, using their bench effectively to establish early control. Trey McKenney carried much of the offensive load in the opening minutes, accounting for eight of Michigan’s first ten points in a stretch that pushed the lead to 20-11. Michigan also turned Ohio State turnovers into points in transition, building their advantage to 29-18 on a fast-break finish by Yaxel Lendeborg with just over six minutes left in the first half.
Ohio State did not fold. Bruce Thornton, who would finish with 22 points on the day, scored 13 in the first half alone and helped fuel a 12-4 run that brought the Buckeyes back to within four at the break. Michigan led 39-35 at halftime, a margin that felt far smaller than the one the Wolverines had enjoyed minutes earlier.
The second half swings
Ohio State came out of the locker room with momentum. The Buckeyes tied the game at 44 early in the second half, erasing Michigan’s lead entirely and forcing the Wolverines to respond. What followed was a stretch where Ohio State went cold, missing seven consecutive shots and going nearly five minutes without a point. Michigan exploited the drought with a 7-0 run fueled by Elliot Cadeau, who scored on a drive, set up an and-one finish for Mara with a lob pass, and added two free throws to restore the lead.
Ohio State kept fighting. Thornton hit a three-pointer as part of an 8-2 run that pulled the Buckeyes within one, only for Cadeau to find Mara again with a left-handed lob for a slam that pushed Michigan back in front at 55-52. Mara then added a mid-range jumper and two free throws to stretch the advantage to seven with under ten minutes to play.
The closing minutes
Ohio State refused to go quietly. Devin Royal hit a three-pointer with 5:40 remaining to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the afternoon at 61-60, sending a jolt through the United Center. The lead changed hands multiple times in the final minutes as both teams traded baskets and free throws with the outcome genuinely uncertain.
Mara’s layup with under three minutes left gave Michigan a 67-64 edge. Lendeborg then converted a free throw with 1:24 remaining to push the lead to four. Ohio State trimmed it to two on a Royal free throw in the closing seconds, but Lendeborg stepped to the line with six seconds on the clock and converted both attempts to seal the win.
Ohio State finished 2 for 12 from the field after taking its first lead and made just one field goal over the final 5:41 of the game. The Buckeyes ran out of answers at the worst possible moment.
Who led the way
Mara finished with 17 points and seven rebounds to pace Michigan. Cadeau added 15 points, seven assists and three steals. McKenney scored 12 and Johnson contributed 11. Lendeborg, the Big Ten player of the year, was held to six points but added six assists and five rebounds in a performance that reflected how balanced this Michigan team is when its star does not dominate the box score.
For Ohio State, Thornton’s 22 points and Royal’s 13 points with 11 rebounds were not enough. The Buckeyes now fall to 0-3 against Michigan this season, a deficit that defined their year against the conference’s best team.
Michigan will face the winner of fourth-seeded Illinois and fifth-seeded Wisconsin in the semifinal on Saturday at 1 p.m. on CBS.
