After an opening 38 minutes that would be best described as an awkward blend of tumultuous and lackadaisical, Michigan was looking at its worst loss of the season dead in the eyes.
The Wolverines had led most of the game but trailed by five points with 2:08 to play. Roddy Gayle Jr. had just missed a dunk on a scripted after-timeout play, and Ace Baldwin had hit a pair of free throws after a long rebound trickled his way.
You could already hear the narratives and YouTube headlines taking shape: Quad 3 loss! Dropped three of four! Still have to face a backloaded schedule! Mid-season collapse! Was Michigan EXPOSED?
It would have been easy for doubt to creep in after the Wolverines were dismantled at Mackey Arena 72 hours ago, but they figured out a way to respond.
Tre Donaldson scored or assisted the final 9 points, including a difficult mid-range pull-up and an audacious step-back three, and Michigan’s defense closed the game with four consecutive stops. The Wolverines escaped with a 76-72 victory that they couldn’t afford to let slip away.
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