Michigan Wolverines Win a Thrilling Game Against Wake Forest
In what felt less like a basketball game and more like a 12-round prize fight, the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines survived a furious comeback by Wake Forest, clawing their way to an 85-84 overtime victory Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena. It was a game that had everything: spectacular dunks, head-scratching turnovers, and enough drama to make a soap opera producer blush.
For the second straight year, these two teams gave us a thriller. Last season, it was Michigan slipping, literally, on the floor in Greensboro. This time, in front of a sea of maize and blue, they didn’t let it slip away.
How Michigan Almost Gave it Away
After a dazzling season opener where they dropped 121 points and rained 19 threes, the Wolverines’ long-range game went ice cold. They shot a miserable 4-for-25 from deep, including a bone-chilling 1-for-14 after halftime. It was the kind of shooting performance that makes you check if the rims were crooked.
Michigan built a seemingly comfortable 13-point lead, and it looked like another cruise-control victory. But Wake Forest had other plans. The Demon Deacons stormed back, erasing the deficit and even taking a seven-point lead late in the game, leaving the Detroit crowd stunned into silence. It felt like watching a car crash in slow motion as Michigan coughed up the ball 17 times. Yikes.
But just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Roddy Gayle Jr. came to life. He drained a massive, game-tying 3-pointer with 1:48 left, breathing life back into the arena.
The Heroics Of Mara and Cadeau
When the going got tough, Michigan’s stars shone brightest. The 7-foot-3 giant Aday Mara was an absolute force of nature, putting up a stat line that looked like a video game number: 18 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 blocks. He was a one-man wrecking crew in the paint.
Then there was Elliot Cadeau, the fearless point guard. Despite a few costly turnovers, he was the engine that drove Michigan’s offense, finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. His biggest moment came with just 13 seconds left in overtime when he was fouled and coolly stepped to the line. He only made one of two, but that single point was enough to seal the deal. It was ugly, but it was a win.
The game finally ended when Nate Calmese’s last-second floater bounced off the backboard, followed by a frantic putback attempt that was just after the buzzer. The collective sigh of relief from the Michigan faithful could have caused a wind advisory in downtown Detroit.
This wasn’t pretty. It was a chaotic, heart-stopping, and sometimes infuriating game. But championship contenders find ways to win even on their off nights, and that’s exactly what Michigan did. They survived, and for now, that’s all that matters.
