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Michigan basketball’s Tre Donaldson embracing villain role for Purdue clash

Published

1 year ago

January 24, 2025

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Michigan basketball’s Tre Donaldson embracing villain role for Purdue clash

All across Big Ten country, there’s a bit of a mystique that surrounds the aura of basketball facilities in Indiana.

Much like SEC-land for football, those in the Hoosier State say basketball just means more and a trio of college hoops cathedrals — from Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse to Indiana’s Assembly Hall to Purdue’s Mackey Arena — are just further evidence for that claim.

Not that Tre Donaldson is paying any mind to that.

Michigan basketball’s point guard is one several Wolverines who will be playing at Mackey in West Lafayette — perhaps the toughest of the bunch — for the first time on Friday as U-M visits the Boilermakers (8 p.m., Fox).

“Coming up north, everybody talks about Mackey, down south we don’t talk about arenas how everybody does up here,” Donaldson told media Thursday morning. “I guess it’s like a big deal? I haven’t really looked into it like that, not trying to be disrespectful or anything. I haven’t like, I don’t even know.

“We played at UCLA, at the Pavilion, I know a little bit about that. But not much about Mackey.”

A Tallahassee, Florida, native who played at Auburn the past two seasons, the former SEC guard was immediately asked about the toughest environments he had seen, with Kentucky’s Rupp Arena cited as a potential example.

“Rupp was crazy. That’s more my speed, being from down south,” he said. “That’s how Mackey is? They shoot fireworks at Mackey? In Rupp, they shoot fireworks for starters, indoors, like that blow up and cover everything.”

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U-M’s brash point guard didn’t intend to display any disrespect, but he also isn’t willing to give an inch to the opponent, either.

A former four-star safety (and top-300 overall recruit per 247 Sports’ composite rankings) in the class of 2022, Donaldson ultimately chose to give up the gridiron for a life on the hardwood, but his mentality has carried over.

He has seen NCAA tournament environments and played rivals such as Alabama on the road, and as far as he’s concerned, there haven’t been enough of those opportunities to date.

“I’m on go whenever, like it doesn’t matter to me,” Donaldson said with a laugh. “I’m ready whenever. Whenever it goes down, it goes down. I’ll deal with it when it comes, that’s just mentally how I’m wired. I feel like (football) played a part in.”

Donaldson might also be irked by a feeling that he’s not fully on the Boilermakers’ radar. A backup his first two years at Auburn, Donaldson is now the emotional leader of a surprisingly good U-M team ostensibly built around a pair of primary stars in 7-footers Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf.

Likewise, during the media availability Thursday ahead of the the matchup between No. 20 Michigan (14-4, 6-1 Big Ten) and No. 12 Purdue (15-5, 6-2), there were several questions about another point guard, Purdue’s Braden Smith.

Smith has been perhaps the top point guard in the league this season, averaging 15 points and a conference-leading 8.9 assists — with nearly three times as many assists (177) as turnovers (57). The junior drew praise from U-M’s defensive coordinator, Mike Boynton Jr., on Thursday, too..

“I didn’t appreciate how smart he was,” Boynton said, referencing his film study. “He’s had so many reps, the benefit of being in a system over time. … It’s almost like he knows exactly what to expect every single possession, so with a guy like that, you gotta keep him off balance.

“Like a great quarterback, he knows the coverage, he’s going to make a play.”

For his part, Donaldson didn’t seem concerned over how to stop the pick-and-roll duo of Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue’s big man now averaging 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a night.

“I mean just Braden Smith’s basketball …” Donaldson said before cutting himself off. “I mean, they gonna have to guard too. Everybody wants to give them their flowers offensively. They got to come down to the other end and guard us as well.”

Donaldson has had more assists than turnovers in five consecutive games, a stretch that saw him average eight points and five assists in two home games and 16.7 points and six assists in three games away from Crisler Center.

As U-M goes into its toughest test yet, Donaldson is ready to try and silence the loudest crowd yet.

“I like it better, I feel like I play better on the road,” Donaldson said. “I go in there, I want everybody to hate me. I’m jumping around, singing the whole time during warmups. Like, that’s just who I am.

“I take on that villain role on the road and I enjoy it.”

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

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Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for March 9, 2026

Published

9 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for March 9, 2026

The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 9 drawing

Midday: 3-7-3

Evening: 1-1-6

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 9 drawing

Midday: 1-6-5-2

Evening: 8-4-6-3

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from March 9 drawing

KD-QH-5C-7D-8D

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from March 9 drawing

24-30-36-37-39

08-09-30-35-36

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from March 9 drawing

04-05-10-12-15-22-26-34-38-44-47-49-52-56-57-59-62-67-71-72-76-80

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 9 drawing

06-16-26-41-43, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lottery’s Regional Offices.

To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:

Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a driver’s license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.

If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:

Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325
Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325
Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325
Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325
Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325
Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery’s prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.
Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily
Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily
Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily
Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Operation BBQ Relief helping with Southwest Michigan tornado recovery

Published

21 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Operation BBQ Relief helping with Southwest Michigan tornado recovery – CBS Detroit

Watch CBS News

Communities in Southwest Michigan continue to pick up the pieces after tornadoes left four people dead on Friday.

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Wojo: May’s Wolverines complete rivalry sweep and historic Big Ten run, rile Izzo

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Wojo: May’s Wolverines complete rivalry sweep and historic Big Ten run, rile Izzo

Ann Arbor – The Wolverines were pushed, pushed hard. As they have all season, they pushed back even harder.

This was Dusty May’s vision of his Michigan program bathed in maize, in a packed, loud Crisler Center. The Wolverines completed one of the most dominant regular seasons in Big Ten history by going 29-2, 19-1 in the conference. And almost as important, 2-0 against their rivals.

May brought Yaxel Lendeborg for this reason and this season, and specifically for this game. Roughed up last year by Michigan State, the Wolverines toughened up and loaded up, and completed a season sweep of Tom Izzo’s squad with a 90-80 victory Sunday.

The outcomes – 83-71 in East Lansing in January – belied the competitiveness of the games. The Spartans battled and led by four midway through the second half Sunday, but UM came in waves, led by Lendeborg’s 27 points and 5-for-6 shooting from 3.

Michigan deserves its plaudits for a historic run, and MSU (25-6) deserves credit for setting the standard and stoking the motivation. This is how rivals can push each other when they’re not busy pounding each other and swearing at each other. In his second season, May has picked up quickly on what the game means, and how it’s won.

The Wolverines will head to the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 1 seed, and assuredly a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After the confetti fell and the Big Ten championship banner was raised, May took a moment to relish it. Just a moment, though.

“This journey, everything comes at you so fast,” May said. “We just did something incredibly difficult together, so rewarding and gratifying. And our journey is only three-fourths of the way done.”

UM among national title favorites

Michigan will be one of the favorites to reach the Final Four and win the national championship. Especially if Lendeborg elevates as he did on this day, taking over the game just when the Spartans seemed primed to wreck UM’s fun.

That’s what should be extracted from a rivalry that gets needlessly toxic at times. Of course there were more flashpoints, including yet another technical foul on Jeremy Fears Jr., after a leg kick to the groin of UM guard Elliot Cadeau. Izzo defended his star by saying there was no intent, but there have been too many incidents to dismiss. Izzo should be as miffed at Fears as anyone, although he insists it wouldn’t have become an issue if May hadn’t publicly pointed it out after the first meeting.

You can’t just call it rivalry gamesmanship when there’s ample video evidence. UM also has been called for several technicals – notably by Aday Mara – without disagreement.

If the Spartans made the Wolverines tougher and angrier, perhaps UM is returning the favor. While Michigan has risen in remarkable fashion under May, Izzo certainly isn’t retreating, as fired up after the game as he was during it. At the end, the student section serenaded the Spartans with “Little Brother!”, an old taunt that was especially biting this time.

It’s what happens in a rivalry, no different than the jeers the Wolverines have endured at the Breslin Center. Izzo has had so much control, he’s not accustomed to the other side getting edgy too.

“I guess the crowd didn’t watch the game because I’m nobody’s damn little brother, and neither is my team,” Izzo snapped. “I’m at Michigan State, and no matter what those people think, we’ve done it longer and better than most. … They’ve had a hell of a year. We’ve had a hell of a year.”

Izzo hasn’t encountered a UM coach willing to play the rivalry game as smoothly and passive-aggressively as May, so perhaps the tension was unavoidable. After this game, they shook hands for about two seconds, approximately 1.5 seconds longer than the postgame encounter in East Lansing.

“I didn’t know how big this rivalry was,” May said. “Rivalries are awesome for sports. When they swept us (last year), they earned it, they kicked our butt. They made us better. … Trust me, they’re gonna be coming after us next year, and we’re gonna be coming after them.”

It actually could happen sooner if they collide in the Big Ten tourney. Frankly, it might be better if they go their separate ways for now, because both teams have bigger goals than settling rivalry scores. Both can do significant damage in the tournaments.

The Spartans have a battle-tested threesome – Fears, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper – and a physical, tenacious defense. The Wolverines have an imposing frontline of Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Mara (when he’s not in foul trouble), and a physical, tenacious defense. This was a terrifically combative clash, with the Wolverines not pulling away until the final minutes.

Lendeborg and Fears are the favorites for Big Ten Player of the Year, and the best player on the best team seems the logical choice to me. Lendeborg made the big plays at the big moments, 8-for-12 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. His season numbers aren’t overwhelming – 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds – partly because UM has a deep nine-man rotation. It’s down to eight with the loss of L.J. Cason, which requires more from others.

More from Yaxel? He didn’t need to be asked twice.

“There’s no way in heck I was letting the seniors come out and lose their last game here,” Lendeborg said. “We all had goals and hopes of being the best Michigan team ever assembled, but now that we’re in the middle of pretty much accomplishing that, it’s amazing. Nobody has any selfish motives. It was just my time to be aggressive.”

Lendeborg ‘has a lot more in his tank’

Lendeborg, a pricey 6-9 portal addition who chose UM over the NBA, said he came here with three goals: Win the Big Ten; win Player of the Year; win the national title. For it to happen, he has to be the engine.

“Yaxel has a lot more in his tank,” said Roddy Gayle Jr., who scored 15. “It’s kind of my responsibility to keep pushing him. He’s an incredible player, especially when he’s out of his head and playing ball freely. I truly believe Yaxel is the best player in the country.”

Lendeborg is part of a four-man portal class that turned the Wolverines from a good team into a powerhouse. They haven’t been bashful about their ambitions, ever since they launched an incredible run with three November victories in Las Vegas – by 40 over San Diego State, by 30 over Auburn, by 40 over Gonzaga. They’ve won 24 games by double-digits,10 by 30-plus and seven by 40-plus (Big Ten record).

May doesn’t fire back often, but he does chafe at the notion the Wolverines simply bought a bunch of talent. Some have called the Wolverines “mercenaries” and questioned his program-building methods, an odd complaint in the world of NIL and rampant transfers.

“We’ve heard a lot about this super team we had,” May said. “But we looked at (the analytics) – KenPom had us 11 preseason, AP had us No. 7. Not typical for a super team. Our secret sauce is how great of teammates these guys are. Period.”

He doesn’t waste time worrying about it, but his boss has something to say. AD Warde Manuel stood at the edge of the Crisler Center court as the team celebrated and was asked if he hears the gripes.

“That bothers me,” Manuel said. “There’s a lot of people across the country spending a lot of money not having the success we’re having. You have to look at why. And the why is the pieces of the puzzle that have come together, and the way Dusty leads.”

May led them from 8-24 the year before he arrived to 29-2 and the Big Ten championship. He’s shown he’s willing to take on all challenges, including from a storied rival and an iconic coach. Sure, it can get caustic at times, but wherever the Wolverines and Spartans go from here, they’ll know what helped push them.

bob.wojnowski@detroitnews.com

@bobwojnowski

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