Michigan
15-5,7-2Big Ten
Penn State
13-8,3-7Big Ten
Donaldson’s Late Heroics Give U-M Blue Out Victory over Penn State
1/27/2025 9:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Leaders and Best
Tre Donaldson led U-M to victory with 21 points, seven assists and four steals, while the Wolverines showcased a deep bench, with nine players contributing to the scoring effort. Danny Wolf added 11 points and nine rebounds, while Nimari Burnett recorded 10 points and four assists.
The Turning Point
Michigan (15-5, 7-2 Big Ten) trailed by five points with two minutes left when Roddy Gayle Jr. threw down a dunk off an assist from Donaldson. Following a Penn State (13-8, 3-7 Big Ten) turnover, Donaldson made a jumper, then hit a three-pointer after Wolf's crucial block to give U-M a two-point lead with 24 seconds remaining. A missed Penn State shot forced the Nittany Lions to foul, and Donaldson sealed the game with two free throws, securing the 76-72 win.
Second Half
Michigan and Penn State traded baskets early in the half before a Donaldson three sparked a 10-0 run, giving U-M a seven-point lead at the 15:40 mark. The Wolverines maintained their lead over the next five minutes, despite missing four consecutive field goals.
Penn State shot 6-for-7 during a stretch that cut Michigan's lead to 57-54. A dunk and three-pointer by Sam Walters extended the Wolverines' lead to seven, but a 10-1 run gave Penn State a 67-65 lead with four minutes remaining. The Nittany Lions expanded their lead to five with just over two minutes left before Michigan's decisive comeback.
Michigan scored 19 points off Penn State's 18 turnovers and committed only nine turnovers. The Wolverines shot 30-for-62 (48.4 percent) from the field and 12-for-28 (42.9 percent) from three-point range.
First Half
Michigan opened the game by converting defense into offense, forcing three Penn State turnovers and making five straight shots to take a 17-11 lead with 14 minutes remaining. However, four U-M turnovers in the next three minutes allowed the Nittany Lions to tie the game with six unanswered points. Back-to-back three-pointers by Burnett and Justin Pippen restored Michigan's advantage before Penn State tied it again.
Penn State took its first lead, 28-27, on a three-pointer with under six minutes to go. Rubin Jones answered with a three-pointer and followed up with two consecutive dunks. Despite eight Wolverine fouls, Penn State tied the game at 35-35 on free throws just before halftime.
Michigan had eight players score in the first half, though none had more than six points. Despite being outrebounded 20-9 and making only one free throw, the Wolverines narrowly outshot Penn State, converting 14-for-29 (48.3 percent) compared to 12-for-25 (48.0 percent).
What's Next
Michigan travels to Piscataway, N.J., to face Rutgers on Saturday (Feb. 1) at Jersey Mike's Arena. The game will air live on Fox at 3:30 p.m.
Notes
• Michigan improved to 10-0 at home, the program's longest home winning streak since the 2020-21 season.
• U-M's nine turnovers were the fewest committed this season; the second fewest was 10 against Xavier (Nov. 27).
• The Wolverines had their lowest rebound total this season (26), compared to 32 against Tarleton St. (Nov. 21).
• Donaldson's 21 points were a season high.
• His four steals were the most by any Michigan player this season.
