Michigan knocked off USC in Los Angeles on Saturday night to move to 3-0 in the Big Ten. It was a game of runs, with Michigan stringing together three different 10-0 kill shots, but USC never went away. The Trojans consistently battled back into the game all night, forcing Michigan to execute down the stretch.

Here are Five Key Plays from the win featuring Danny Wolf, Vlad Goldin, Tre Donaldson, Roddy Gayle Jr., and more.

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1. First half 3-point barrage

Michigan was on fire from 3-point range in its final two home games of the year and carried that momentum into the Galen Center. On Saturday night, the Wolverines got off to a terrific shooting start, knocking down their first five 3-pointers and finishing with ten made threes in the opening half.

The Wolverines have been a volatile 3-point shooting team all year. They’ve hit double-digit threes in eight of 14 games but shot worse than 30% from three in five games. They shoot 36.6% from three (54th nationally) as a team but have shot better than 40% or worse than 30% in 12 of 14 contests.

In 28 halves of basketball, Michigan has hit seven or more threes nine times (32%). They’ve also hit two or fewer threes in 10 of those 28 halves (36%) — including last night’s 0-of-8 second-half performance.

Michigan’s half-by-half perimeter shooting splits are becoming a trend to watch closely. The Wolverines shoot 40.8% from three in first halves (5.9 for 14.4 attempts) compared to 31.2% in second halves (3.5 of 11.2 attempts).

Michigan survived 0-of-8 3-point shooting to win last night, but it is 5-of-36 (14%) from 3-point range in the second halves of its three losses — a particularly painful stat given that those defeats came by five points total.

Michigan Wolverines football senior wide receiver Peyton O’Leary will return for his fifth season at U-M, he announced on social media Saturday. O’Leary has one year of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pounder joined senior quarterback Davis Warren in announcing his return for the 2025 season on the same day. Warren and O’Leary are housemates and close friends.

O’Leary and Warren are both former walk-ons who earned scholarships.

“It was a dream come true. It was so great,” O’Leary said in 2023 of being put on scholarship.

The Byfield, Mass., native played a key role on the Michigan offense this season, logging the second-most offensive snaps among wide receivers (376), behind only Tyler Morris (464), who has transferred to Indiana.

O’Leary caught 10 passes for 102 yards and 1 touchdown in 13 games this season. He was targeted 14 times.

The highlights of his season were a touchdown catch on third down in a loss to Oregon Nov. 2 and an impressive third-down grab in a 13-10 win over Ohio State in Columbus Nov. 30.

Tied 10-10, Michigan drove all the way to the Ohio State 3-yard line, before Warren threw an interception in the end zone.

Devastating, but not a deathblow. Michigan’s drive that Warren and O’Leary kept alive still chewed a whopping 9:10 off the clock. The Wolverines dominated time of possession, keeping the football for 13:03 of the 15 minutes in the fourth quarter, sealing the 13-10 win with a game-winning field goal by junior kicker Dominic Zvada.

Weeks later, Warren and O’Leary can laugh about all of it.

“We’ve watched it a couple times — a handful,” Warren said of he and his housemates, including O’Leary. “It always shows up on the YouTube and stuff, so it’s there.

“But can’t pump his tires up too much. Gotta keep him grounded. He’s kinda a pain to be around if he gets too confident.”

Warren and O’Leary have a special connection. Both came in as walk-ons and developed incredible chemistry while on scout team. That became apparent as the two worked their way up the depth chart, starting with the 2023 spring game, when Warren found O’Leary for the game-winning two-point conversion.

“Love him to death, and that was a huge catch when we needed it,” Warren said of the play against Ohio State, in a more serious tone. “I remember the first time me and him were throwing together on the field out there the summer my freshman year, and [tight ends] Coach [Steve] Casula, who recruited us, was kinda watching off to the side.

“To think that it would progress to us being in The ‘Shoe trying to get a win like that, it was a special thing and a testament to him to all the work he’s put in to get better. 

“Hitting the celebration after was a nice touch.”

O’Leary was a deep reserve before the 2024 season. He had appeared in 14 games at wide receiver from 2022-23, hauling in 3 catches for 17 yards and a touchdown. His score in the 2023 campaign came in a win at Nebraska and was thrown by Jayden Denegal, who transferred to San Diego State this offseason.

O’Leary was originally signed to play lacrosse at UMass

Ypsilanti — Da’Sean Nelson scored 32 points as Eastern Michigan beat Northern Illinois 75-71 on Saturday.

Nelson also added nine rebounds for the Eagles (7-6, 1-0 Mid-American Conference). Jalin Billingsley added 15 points while shooting 5 of 7 from the field and 4 for 8 from the line and had five rebounds. Christian Henry had 13 points and shot 5 for 10, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc.

James Dent Jr. led the way for the Huskies (4-9, 0-1) with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Northern Illinois also got 14 points and six rebounds from Ethan Butler. Quaran McPherson also put up 12 points.

Nelson’s 16-point second half helped Eastern Michigan close out the four-point victory.

Both teams play on Tuesday. Eastern Michigan visits Toledo and Northern Illinois hosts Kent State.

More state games

▶Robert Morris 79, (at) Oakland 71: Kam Woods had 29 points, shot 9 of 15 from the field, including 3 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 8 for 10 from the line for the Colonials (10-6, 2-3 Horizon League). Josh Omojafo scored 15 points, going 3 of 9 and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Alvaro Folgueiras had 11 points and shot 4 of 5 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line.

Tuburu Niavalurua finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Golden Grizzlies (5-11, 2-3). Allen David Mukeba Jr. added 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks for Oakland. Malcolm Christie finished with 11 points.

▶Milwaukee 64, (at) Detroit Mercy 56: AJ McKee had 14 points, and added six rebounds for the Panthers (11-5, 4-1 Horizon League). Themus Fulks scored 14 points while going 3 of 10 and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line and added five rebounds. Jamichael Stillwell had 11 points and shot 4 of 12 from the field, including 0 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 5 from the line.

Orlando Lovejoy led the Titans (6-11, 2-4) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

▶Toledo 76, (at) Western Michigan 70: Sonny Wilson scored 20 points in a Mid-American Conference opener. Wilson had seven rebounds and five assists for the Rockets (7-6, 1-0 Mid-American Conference). Sam Lewis scored 14 points and added 10 rebounds and three blocks. Andre Lorentsson shot 3 for 9, including 2 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 10 points.

The Broncos (3-10, 0-1) were led in scoring by Chansey Willis Jr., who finished with 21 points and seven assists. Western Michigan also got 13 points and seven rebounds from Javaughn Hannah. Owen Lobsinger also had 11 points, 13 rebounds and two steals. The loss is the sixth straight for the Broncos.

Wilson scored 11 points in the first half for Toledo, who led 35-33 at halftime. Toledo turned a one-point second-half lead into an eight-point advantage with a 7-0 run to make it a 52-44 lead with 9:45 left in the half. Lewis scored 10 second-half points in the victory.

More men’s results

Arizona 72, Cincinnati 67

Ashland 72, Malone 61

Calvin 68, St. Norbert 52

Davenport 73, Michigan Tech 71, OT

Ferris St. 91, Wayne St. (Mich.) 81

Hillsdale 75, Lake Erie 72

Lake Superior St. 73, Saginaw Valley St. 44

N. Michigan 78, Grand Valley St. 70

Thomas More Saints 73, Northwood 57

State women’s results

Ball St. 72, Cent. Michigan 61

Miami (Ohio) 57, W. Michigan 51