Michigan

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

Published

8 months ago

January 24, 2025

Press Room

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.”

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Hail Yes!” your go-to Michigan Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

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

How MSU’s deer vaccine capsules could curb black-legged ticks in Michigan

Published

4 days ago

September 23, 2025

Press Room

How MSU’s deer vaccine capsules could curb black-legged ticks in Michigan

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Black-legged ticks have been increasing across Michigan this summer, raising concerns about tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease.

—> Michigan health officials alarmed by surge in Lyme disease cases

Researchers at Michigan State University say the large white-tailed deer population plays a key role in spreading these ticks.

To address the problem, MSU scientists are testing food capsules containing biomarkers to see if deer will eat them.

Each capsule currently includes corn, alfalfa, molasses, and a biomarker that helps track how many deer consume the capsules.

If successful, the capsules will eventually contain a vaccine to help deer build immunity to ticks, similar to how dogs are vaccinated.

The goal is to reduce the number of ticks on deer, which could lower the risk of tick-borne diseases for people spending time outdoors.

MSU professors describe this as an innovative method that could be a game-changer for controlling black-legged ticks and Lyme disease in Michigan. The capsules are being introduced in selected parks and land preserves in the Mid-Michigan area as part of the early phase of this research.

In the future, the team plans to add a drug or vaccine to the capsules to eliminate ticks on deer, aiming to stop the problem at its source.

—> 4 ways to protect yourself from ticks in Michigan, and 4 things to do after you’re outside

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Michigan

Trump administration renews push to fire Fed governor from Michigan ahead of key vote

Published

2 weeks ago

September 14, 2025

Press Room

Trump administration renews push to fire Fed governor from Michigan ahead of key vote

Alan Suderman
| Associated Press

President Donald Trump’s administration renewed its request Sunday for a federal appeals court to let him fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors, a move the president is seeking ahead of the central bank’s vote on interest rates.

The Trump administration filed a response just ahead of a 3 p.m. Eastern deadline Sunday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, arguing that Cook’s legal arguments for why she should stay on the job were meritless. Lawyers for Cook argued in a Saturday filing that the Trump administration has not shown sufficient cause to fire her, and stressed the risks to the economy and country if the president were allowed to fire a Fed governor without proper cause.

Sunday’s filing is the latest step in an unprecedented effort by the White House to shape the historically independent Fed. Cook’s firing marks the first time in the central bank’s 112-year history that a president has tried to fire a governor.

“The public and the executive share an interest in ensuring the integrity of the Federal Reserve,” Trump’s lawyers argued in Sunday’s filing. “And that requires respecting the president’s statutory authority to remove governors ‘for cause’ when such cause arises.”

Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to the agency that regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, has accused Cook of signing separate documents in which she allegedly said that both the Atlanta property and a home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, also purchased in June 2021, were both “primary residences.” Pulte submitted a criminal referral to the Justice Department, which has opened an investigation.

Trump relied on those allegations to fire Cook “for cause.”

Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Fed governor, referred to the condominium as a “vacation home” in a loan estimate, a characterization that could undermine claims by the Trump administration that she committed mortgage fraud. Documents obtained by The Associated Press also showed that on a second form submitted by Cook to gain a security clearance, she described the property as a “second home.”

Cook sued the Trump administration to block her firing and a federal judge ruled Tuesday that the removal was illegal and reinstated her to the Fed’s board.

The administration appealed and asked for an emergency ruling just before the Fed is set to meet this week and decide whether to reduce its key interest rate. Most economists expect they will cut the rate by a quarter point.

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Michigan

Michigan football vs. Central Michigan: Live updates, score, injuries

Published

2 weeks ago

September 13, 2025

Press Room

Michigan football vs. Central Michigan: Live updates, score, injuries

It’s an in-state matchup on Saturday, Sept. 13, as Michigan football (1-1) takes on the Central Michigan Chippewas (1-1) for the Wolverines’ second home game of the season.

After a loss on the road at Oklahoma last week in which Michigan struggled to generate offense, the Wolverines — and particularly freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood — are looking to sharpen their offensive skills against a weaker Chippewas.

They’ll have to do so without coach Sherrone Moore, however. The coach is serving the first of a two-game suspension sanctioned by the school for his role in the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. In the interim, Biff Poggi will lead the Wolverines.

Michigan’s task will be to hone its skills on both sides of the ball, but with an emphasis on offense. The Wolverines struggled to run the ball last week and Underwood had difficulty connecting with receivers downfield as well. Central Michigan provides a perfect opportunity for Michigan to build its offensive cohesiveness before beginning Big Ten play.

Follow along below for live updates.

Michigan football vs. Central Michigan early availability report

Michigan – Out: QB Davis Warren (knee), OT Andrew Babalola (knee). Probable: DB Rod Moore (knee), DB Shamari Earls (undisclosed), DB Caleb Anderson (undisclosed). Questionable: TE Marlin Klein (right foot/ankle), DB Zeke Berry (lower body), RB John Volker (undisclosed), LB Jaydon Hood (undisclosed), RB Bryson Kuzdzal (undisclosed), RB Donovan Johnson (undisclosed), edge Devon Baxter, DT Ike Iwunnah (undisclosed), WR C.J. Charleston (undisclosed). Doubtful: OL Gio-EL Hadi (left ankle/foot)

Central Michigan – Missed Week 2: TE Rory Callahan, OL John Iannuzzi.

Matchup: No. 22 Michigan (1-1) vs. Central Michigan (1-1)

Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Sept. 13; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.

TV/radio: Big Ten Network; WCSX-FM (94.7).Looking for a free mini puzzle? Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now.

Line: Wolverines by 27½.

Michigan football schedule 2025

Week 1: W, 34-17 vs New Mexico.

Week 2: L, 13-24 at Oklahoma

Week 3: vs Central Michigan, Saturday Sept. 13, noon ET (Big Ten Network).

Week 4: at Nebraska, Saturday Sept. 20, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS).

Week 5: BYE.

Week 6: vs Wisconsin, Saturday Oct. 4, 12 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.

Week 7: at USC, Saturday Oct. 11, time TBD.

Week 8: vs Washington, Saturday Oct. 18, time TBD.

Week 9: at Michigan State, Saturday Oct. 25, time TBD.

Week 10: vs Purdue, Sautrday Nov. 1, time TBD.

Week 11: BYE.

Week 12: at Northwestern, Saturday Nov. 15, time TBD.

Week 13: at Maryland, Saturday Nov. 22, time TBD.

Week 14: vs Ohio State, Saturday Nov. 29, noon ET (Fox).

Contact Matthew Auchincloss at mauchincloss@freepress.com.

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