Michigan
Rutgers
Defense Powers U-M to Narrow Victory at Rutgers
2/1/2025 6:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team held Rutgers to its second-lowest point total of the season on Saturday (Feb. 1), securing its fourth conference win away from home in a 66-63 victory at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Leaders and Best
Danny Wolf led Michigan with 16 points and 14 rebounds, his ninth double-double of the season. Vladislav Goldin added 14 points and six rebounds, while Tre Donaldson had 10 points and six assists.
Second Half
Holding a 32-25 halftime lead, Michigan (16-5, 8-2 Big Ten) started the second half with just one point over the first 3:35 before Tre Donaldson made a three-pointer in transition and dished out an assist to Will Tschetter to give the Wolverines a 40-35 lead with 15 minutes to go.
Nearly halfway through the second period, both teams suffered scoring droughts lasting more than three minutes before a Rutgers three-pointer reduced Michigan's lead to 44-41 with 10:05 remaining. U-M's drought continued another minute before a basket and a foul shot from Wolf ended the skid, with the Wolverines leading 46-41.
As Rutgers (11-11, 4-7 Big Ten) brought the game within two points, Wolf hit a three-pointer to extend Michigan's advantage to 51-46 with 6:30 remaining. U-M steadily maintained its lead down the stretch, holding at least a four-point cushion for the rest of the game until Rutgers' three-pointer at the buzzer cut the final difference to three points. Michigan shot 12-for-17 from the free-throw line in the second half, helping close out the win.
First Half
Both teams struggled from the field to start, with Rutgers holding a 4-2 lead at the 16:46 mark. Michigan then went on a 7-0 run over the next three minutes, while Rutgers missed its next six shots from the field and turned the ball over three times.
The Scarlet Knights responded with a 5-0 stretch to tie the game up at nine, and the game continued back and forth for the remainder of the half. U-M had a stretch when it shot 4-for-5 from the field, highlighted by three-pointers from Sam Walters and Justin Pippen that gave the Wolverines a 20-19 lead with 7:29 to go.
To close the half, the Wolverines went on a six-minute, 13-2 run helped by back-to-back three-point makes from Walters and Tschetter -- two of U-M's five made threes in the half. Rutgers missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts as it was held scoreless for more than three-and-a-half minutes. Before the end of the half, the Scarlet Knights made consecutive shots, but U-M still led 32-25 at the break.
What's Next
Michigan will return to Ann Arbor to host No. 16 Oregon on Wednesday (Feb. 5) at 6:30 inside Crisler Center for its annual Pink Game. The game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
Notes
• Rutgers' 25 points in the first half were the least U-M has given up in a first half this season, and the least allowed in any half during Big Ten play.
• Goldin surpassed 1,500 career points with a layup with 4:42 remaining in the first half.
• Wolf's double-double is his ninth of the season, tying Northwestern's Brooks Barnhizer and Maryland's Julian Reese for first in the Big Ten.
• With two assists in the first half, Roddy Gayle Jr. reached 200 career assists.
• Dishing out six assists, Donaldson now has six games with six assists or more in a game this season.
