Michigan basketball advances to Sweet 16 for eighth time since 2013 with 91-79 win over Texas A&M

DENVER, Colo. — Michigan Wolverines basketball was down 10 points in the second half but took over Ball Arena in Denver to win 91-79, the Wolverines finishing by scoring the game’s final nine points. Michigan beat Texas A&M to advance to the Sweet 16 for the eighth time since 2013 and will take on the winner of Auburn and Creighton.

Here’s a recap of how the game unfolded.

First half

Michigan won the opening tip, and junior point guard Tre Donaldson finished a layup on the first possession. The Wolverines got up 4-0 with a graduate center Vladislav Goldin one-handed jumper in the lane, but Texas A&M made it 7-6 at the under-16 media timeout. Big man Pharrel Payne made 1 of 2 free throws and slammed an alley-oop feed from point guard Wade Taylor IV.

Michigan and Texas A&M each went on 6-0 runs heading into the under-12 media timeout. Freshman guard L.J. Cason created a spark off the bench, nailing a deep three from the right wing and driving for a dump-off pass to junior forward/center Danny Wolf for his second layup of the game. Texas A&M forward Andersson Garcia drilled a pair of triples for the Aggies’ surge. The Wolverines and Aggies were all tied up at 17-17 with 11:11 remaining in the half.

Payne continued to do damage down low, scoring 6 points in a row for the Aggies, who led 27-23 at the 6:17 mark. Michigan’s offense had stagnated, but the Wolverines got a transition layup from graduate guard Rubin Jones and a layup from Goldin off a nice feed from Donaldson. Michigan was 1-of-7 from beyond the three-point line but shooting 8-of-16 on twos and was already in the bonus.

Payne made 2 free throws out of the media timeout, with Goldin picking up the questionable foul. The Aggies led 28-23.

Michigan got some production out of junior guard Roddy Gayle Jr., who finished a dunk off a pass from Wolf and banged in a left-wing three. A Goldin short jumper put the Wolverines down just one, 34-33, at the 2:40 timeout. Texas A&M called timeout at that point.

Michigan took the lead with Goldin knocking down 2 free throws (35-34), before Payne scored in the paint again after Goldin left the game due to picking up his second foul. Then, Michigan left CJ Wilcher open for a left-wing triple. The Aggies led 39-35 with 27 seconds left in the half, Michigan calling its use it or lose it timeout at that juncture. Redshirt junior forward Will Tschetter got to the rim but missed a layup, and Texas A&M led 39-35 at the break.

Michigan got to the rim for 12 layup/dunk attempts but made only 6 of them in the first half, and U-M was 10-of-25 on two-pointers as a whole. Goldin paced the team with 12 points, while Payne led the way with 14 for Texas A&M.

Second half

Michigan started the half with a stop and a Wolf bucket, but Texas A&M went on a 6-0 run after that. Cason drove in for a two, but Texas A&M’s Jace Carter countered with a triple. Michigan trailed 48-41 at the under-16 media timeout, struggling offensively to begin the half — 3-of-7 from the field, 3 turnovers.

Texas A&M got its lead out to 10 points on five different occasions, but Michigan kept chipping away and got some great play from Cason, who got to the line for 4 made free throws and knifed into the teeth of the defense for a layup. Michigan got a stop with a shot clock violation at the 11:35 mark, which sparked the media timeout. The Wolverine fans in the building were going bananas as U-M had cut the deficit to 61-57 and had the momentum on their side.

Michigan was shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 7-of-7 from the foul line in the second half, picking it up offensively.

Cason missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Texas A&M scored with a Payne lob dunk at the other end. Michigan fought back with Tschetter and Gayle free throws, trailing 63-61. Gayle then made his third triple of the game and penetrated for another layup to make it a one-point game, Texas A&M leading 67-66 at the 9:14 mark. Gayle had 17 to lead Michigan at that point. But Taylor showed off his great range after bringing the ball up on the ensuing possession, making a deep three-pointer to make it 70-66.

Michigan went on an extended 15-2 run from that point, sparked by 10-straight points from Gayle. Goldin picked up his fourth personal during the surge, but the Wolverines subbed him offense/defense with Tschetter and he continued to produce. Goldin scored 8 in a row for the Maize and Blue, before Donaldson chipped in with a layup of his own.

Michigan led 81-72 at the 3:43 mark.

Michigan went up 82-73 with a Goldin free throw at 3:09, before Texas A&M made its run, scoring 4 in a row. Gayle missed one at the rim that led to a Zhuric Phelps layup in transition. Michigan led 82-77 and the Aggies had the ball with 1:43 to go, following an offensive basket interference on Jones off a Goldin miss.

Phelps was fouled and drilled 2 free throws to make it 82-79 at the 1:29 mark. Donaldson and Michigan took their time, and the point guard drove in on elite defender Solomon Washington. Donaldson finished a nifty left-handed layup to put Michigan ahead 84-79 with 59.2 seconds remaining.

Taylor fired a deep three that was halfway down but bounced out. Michigan cleared, and Gayle was fouled. The junior made both free throws to make it 86-79.

Texas A&M took a timeout with 39.9 seconds remaining and 23 on the shot clock. The Aggies never made another shot, and Michigan got all the crucial rebounds. The Wolverines scored the final nine points to seal the 91-79 victory.

Michigan vs. Texas A&M box score