Michigan pulls away late for huge road win at UCLA

Michigan turned the ball over three times in the first four minutes at UCLA — and yet still led 13-2 before the Bruins were force to call a timeout. The Wolverines made five of their first eight field goals, got seven points in the first 5 minutes from center Vlad Goldin, relinquished another big lead but pulled away late for a key, 94-75 road win.

Goldin finished with 36 points and U-M improved to 4-0 in conference play with three wins coming on the road.

The defense did the job early against the Bruins, forcing several tough looks despite playing without Roddy Gayle Jr. (injury). Veteran Rubin Jones started in his place and provided some of that solid defense, while the wolverines were ‘on’ again offensively. That was apparent when Goldin hit a triple from the top, not hesitating in making it 18-6. 

But the Wolverines continued to turn it over, allowing UCLA to creep back into it. The crowd came to life before Michigan point guard Tre Donaldson, who started the scoring with a deep triple, nailed a 25-foot three-pointer to make it 21-12 at the second TV timeout. 

Goldin continued to dominate. He scored four more inside, the second another dunk on a great feed from Danny Wolf, and a chant of “let’s go blue!” broke out among the Michigan fans in the crowd. That forced another timeout at 25-13, the big man having scored 14 of U-M’s points. A Wolf behind the back drive and dish to Goldin, and-one, made it 28-13, and the Bruins crowd was stunned. 

Goldin continued his assault inside, pushing his total to 19 when U-M took a 37-19 lead at 5:22, forcing yet another UCLA timeout after a corner triple from Jones. The Wolverines were 14-for-19 from the floor at that point, 6-for-9 from long range, in putting on a clinic. UCLA, meanwhile, was shooting only 34.8 percent from the floor at that point. 

It was 42-27 at the final media timeout of the half after a Sam Walters triple. Goldin had half of the Wolverines’ points. Wolf’s triple at 3:10 pushed the lead back to 18 … at that point, U-M had 15 assists on 17 made field goals. 

Donaldson, though, went to the bench with two fouls, and UCLA continued to chip away. More careless turnovers (11 in the first half for Michigan) allowed the Bruins to cut it to 10 at the break despite U-M shooting 68 percent, 8-for-13 from long range. Wolf and grad wing Nimari Burnett each scored 7 in the first half to support Goldin’s 21.

SECOND HALF — Michigan gives the lead away, gets it back for huge road win

UCLA got the lead down to single digits at 18:59 on a pair of free throws, and it was game on. It was 47-41 at 18:30, and the crowd came to life. Wolf ended the run with a jump hook from eight feet. 

The Bruins continued their run, and they cut it to three after a triple following another careless Wolf turnover. They were going to the line down three at the first TV timeout, missed two, but got the ball back after Wolf’s offensive foul — his third — sent him to the bench. 

Five straight points from the Bruins, three on an and-one following yet another turnover, made it 55-51 UCLA, the worm having completely turned. Donaldson, though, followed up an airball triple on his previous shot with a three-pointer to cut it to one and slow the bleeding at 13:57. Will Tschetter’s triple from the corner at 13:15 tied it at 57. 

Donaldson’s three-pointer at 12:15 gave the wolverines the lead back at 60-59, but UCLA got to the bonus at 11:12 after Walters’ second foul. Wolf then went to the bench with his fourth foul, an offensive foul that was also his seventh turnover. 

Still, the Wolverines went back up 63-61 after Goldin finished inside, and-one at 10:09. They’d expand their lead to 70-62 with a mini-run, including two Burnett free throws and the wing’s triple in transition at 8:18 that forced another UCLA timeout. But Goldin went to the bench with his fourth foul and eight minutes remaining, what appeared to be a huge blow.

Enter Donaldson. He hit two long triples, the second a 26-footer from the top, to expand the lead to 76-64 and seemingly put the Wolverines in control. Burnett’s second-chance triple at 6:13 pushed it back to 12. Wolf’s drive and finish pushed the lead back to 13, and two Goldin free throws at 3:24 put Michigan on the brink of a huge road victory at 86-71. They’d close it out with the veteran center dominating inside down the stretch the way he did in the first half.

Donaldson finished with 20 points and seven assists, Burnett 15, and Wolf 12, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in the win. Michigan will next play Washington Sunday in Ann Arbor.