Michigan basketball catches waves — three of them — en route to 85-74 win over USC

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LOS ANGELES — Between the combination of students on winter break, a 5 p.m. local tipoff featuring ever-challenging Los Angeles traffic and a large contingent of Michigan basketball fans based in Southern California, Saturday’s clash with USC at the Galen Center arrived with a less-than-normal level of hostility for a Big Ten road game.

The Wolverines were happy to take advantage and enjoy what, at times, felt like Ann Arbor West, complete with “Let’s go, Blue!” chants to the “DE-FENSE!” rally cry when the home team was on offense, as Dusty May’s squad finished off a 85-74 win Saturday night to stay undefeated in Big Ten play.

The Wolverines, who stayed overnight next door at the USC hotel and simply walked two minutes down the road to go through their security entrance, made themselves at home to start. They drained their first five 3-pointers for an early nine-point lead, and it felt as though a rout could be in the offing.

Michigan Wolverines guard Nimari Burnett (4) shoots the ball against Southern California Trojans guard Desmond Claude (1) and forward Saint Thomas (0) in the first half at Galen Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.

BEFORE THE GAME: Michigan basketball’s Big Ten title quest begins with Los Angeles double dip; USC up first

Instead, the Trojans rallied to make it a one-point game less than five minutes later and neither team led by more than four points the rest of the first half. After the break, it looked again as if Michigan would pull away as Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin combined for 13 straight to put U-M up by 15.

Again the Trojans came back, this time taking the lead with 7:33 to play. But U-M finally contained the Trojans, with separate 9-0 and 10-0 runs in the final eight minutes to pull away.

Five Wolverines scored in double figures, led by a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double from Wolf, 16 points each from Nimari Burnett and Tre Donaldson, 11 points from Vlad Goldin and 12 from Roddy Gayle Jr.

The Wolverines (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten) will stay…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-basketball-catches-waves-three-034454053.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-01-05 03:44:00

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