Tre Donaldson and Vladislav Goldin each scored 11 points and No. 22 Michigan closed Saturday’s Big Ten Tournament championship game on an 11-2 run to beat No. 18 Wisconsin, 59-53, and claim its first tourney crown since 2018.
Donaldson also had eight assists one day after driving the length of the court for the winning layup with less than a second to go in the semifinal round. Michigan (25-9) won three games in three days to give coach Dusty May a title in his first season in Ann Arbor.
Goldin was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.
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John Blackwell scored 18 points and Max Klesmit added 12 to lead the Badgers, who have not a won the tourney crown since 2015. John Tonje added nine points and seven rebounds on an tough shooting night.
Both teams were coming off close, emotional victories and each looked sluggish most of the game. Wisconsin opened the second half on a 15-6 run to take a 38-27 lead, then watched the Wolverines use a 7-0 spurt to tie the score at 45 with 5:50 left. Goldin made two free throws with 46 seconds left to break a 53-all tie and Michigan led the reamainder.
Takeaways
Wisconsin: Two days after tying a tourney single-game record with 19 3-pointers, the Badgers shot just 15 of 68 (22%).
Michigan: The Wolverines lost the rebounding battle overall, but won it late and that proved the difference as they overcame fatigue to grind out a victory.
Key moment
Donaldson’s 3 with 1:52 left finally gave Michigan the lead and the confidence to close it out.
Key stat
Wisconsin was a dismal 7 of 39 (17.9%) from 3-point range.
Up next
Each team finds out its next matchup on the Selection Show.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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