When it comes to Big Ten play, it’s important to think of the old adage announcers say every March: “Survive and advance.”
It was far from perfect, but Michigan did just that in Wednesday’s win over Oregon, 80-76. This was Michigan’s third win in a row, all by four points or less.
The Wolverines are figuring out how to win close games at the perfect time. The Wolverines are 6-4 in games decided by four points or less, including a 4-1 record over the past five weeks. Danny Wolf, who had 15 points and hit two clutch free throws late, spoke after the game about making the winning plays late.
“I said it after the game, we’ve been on the opposite side of the string,” Wolf said, referring to Michigan’s close losses. “You look at the Oklahoma game, the Arkansas game, Minnesota even, some of the worst losses, buzzer-beaters that you just don’t want. I think when you hit your free throws late, you get rebounds and you get stops, I think we did a good job of that tonight. It’s just a good feeling.”
A guy who played a big factor in this close win was Will Tschetter, who led the team with a personal season-high 17 points. Wolf praised Tschetter after the game.
“Very efficient player,” Wolf said. “We’re lucky to have him to say the least. The only thing he cares about is winning. I think that’s clearly evident to see. In today’s day and age, you don’t have a lot of that.”
Just like the Penn State win, Michigan saved its best defense for last, not allowing the Ducks to make a field goal in the final 3:18 of the game. The Wolverines turned stops early in the game into easy buckets, pushing the pace and scoring 25 points off Oregon’s 12 turnovers.
“I thought we contested well,” head coach Dusty May said on the team’s late-game defense. “We tried to get out in transition before they could get their zone set and when we did that, we were pretty effective.”
Michigan had a double-digit lead for a large portion of the half before Oregon came storming back. While you never like to see Michigan lose a big lead, close games come with the territory in this conference, and Michigan is figuring out how to win at the right time.
“Big Ten wins are hard, no matter how you look at it, you got to protect home court,” Wolf said. “I think it’s a common theme that we get these big leads, but we really got to stop beating at it. When we get these leads, myself included, we really got to focus on the team.”
“It’s February, if you can find a way to win and learn some lessons, that’s usually the objective,” May said. “I do think we made enough plays. In these 1-2 possession games, our guys have been able to get some stops, they made big free throws and came up with some extra possessions.”
After this close win, attention shifts to Indiana, with the Wolverines heading south to take on the Hoosiers. Michigan is tied with Michigan State for second place in the conference, so every game is crucial heading down the stretch.
Whenever he’s pressed about his Indiana roots, May tends to downplay it, and he did nothing different when asked about it Wednesday night.
“My wife Anna handles all the tickets, I’ve gotten 20 texts from friends saying ‘Hey, I’d love to grab dinner’, which shows that they have no idea,” May said. “I have a very closed mindset during the season, where all I can think about is how do we play better.
“My Mom lives in Bloomington, it is what it is. I’m going in there trying to win a freaking basketball game and that’s it.”
Seven Michigan high school marching bands are competing this weekend at the Bands of America grand nationals competition.
The competition is held each year in Indianapolis, Ind., at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.
More than 100 high school marching bands will compete Thursday and Friday in the preliminary round of competition, then the top 32 bands will move on to the semifinal round on Saturday.
Only the top 12 bands will get the chance to perform their competition shows one last time Saturday night in the finals. Members of all 12 bands that make finals will receive medals for their accomplishments. The prize for the best band in the nation is a coveted eagle-shaped trophy.
On Thursday, three Michigan bands were scheduled to take the field throughout the day, including Huron Valley’s band at 9:45 a.m., Mt. Pleasant at 4:45 p.m. and Tri County at 8:30 p.m.
Friday, four more Michigan bands will perform in preliminary competition. Those ensembles are back-to-back state champions Walled Lake at 1:15 p.m., Rockford at 3 p.m., state champion Jenison at 4:30 p.m. and Plymouth-Canton at 6 p.m.
Additionally, the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band will be performing in exhibition at the competition at 8:45 p.m. Friday night. The Spartan Marching Band will be performing a show of popular Broadway hits.
The Michigan high school bands will be competing against marching bands from states including Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio, and, for only the second time ever, Alaska.
Marching bands will be judged on their music, their marching, their visual storytelling and more. Each band has been working since the early summer to perfect their 8-12 minute show, often featuring choreography, complex themes, props, costume changes and more.
To watch a livestream of the Bands of America Grand Nationals competition, visit the event website here. It is a paid livestream, with costs depending on which day and round of competition. To watch Thursday or Friday prelims, it is $20 per day. It costs $27 to watch semifinals on Saturday and another $32 to watch finals. To watch all rounds of competition, viewers can buy a $68 package.
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Washtenaw County residents protest Michigan Medicine’s overhaul on gender-affirming care
ANN ARBOR, MI — JJ McKillop, leader of the LGBTQ+ teenage group True Hope, was willing to bear about 45-degree temperatures Wednesday in Ann Arbor to protest her alma mater.
McKillop, a parent of a transgender child and 1994 graduate of the University of Michigan, said she is “ashamed” by Michigan Medicine’s August decision to end gender-affirming care for minors.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Frances Mauro Masters watched as a Rosie the Riveter statue was unveiled on Tuesday in Royal Oak, Michigan. The 103-year-old was the inspiration for the newest addition at the Michigan WW2 Legacy Memorial.
The city of Royal Oak shared a video of the unveiling, with Masters standing beside it. According to the city, Masters worked at the Willow Run bomber plant in Ypsilanti during World War II.
The statue was created by sculptor Oleg Kedria, who also created a statue that was installed at the memorial in 2023. That statue depicted a soldier reading a letter.
John Marten, board president of the WW2 Legacy Memorial, said the Rosie the Riveter statue is part of an expansion of the memorial that included an expanded Walk of Honor, which includes bricks with the names of people who had a role in World War II.
“Rosie represents the significant contribution of home front women to the Arsenal of Democracy, who kept production lines rolling. We are especially honored that 103-year-old Frances Mauro Masters, a riveter from the Ford Willow Run WWII bomber plant in Ypsilanti, is the inspiration for the face of the statue,” Maten in September.
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