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  • No. 6 Michigan Wolverines Outlast Wake Forest In Overtime For A Thrilling Win At Little Caesars Arena

No. 6 Michigan Wolverines Outlast Wake Forest In Overtime For A Thrilling Win At Little Caesars Arena

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Basketball

(BCSNN) — Michigan men’s basketball survived a late Wake Forest rally and escaped with an 85–84 overtime win Tuesday night in the Deacon-Wolverine Challenge at Little Caesars Arena. The sixth-ranked Wolverines improved to 2–0 behind a career night from Aday Mara and clutch plays from Elliot Cadeau and Roddy Gayle Jr.

Michigan opened the game with a flurry, scoring on three of its first four possessions behind Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg. After trailing 18–14 midway through the half, the Wolverines tied it up with a Trey McKenney layup and a Lendeborg fast-break dunk.

U-M took its first lead in nearly seven minutes on a Nimari Burnett putback and entered the bonus with eight minutes remaining. The Wolverines capitalized at the line, scoring eight of their next 10 points on free throws. Mara’s tip-in dunk sparked a late surge, and Michigan closed the half on a 4-for-4 shooting stretch to build a 47–34 lead at intermission.

Wake Forest opened the second half with a 13–6 run, trimming the lead to six. Johnson responded with an alley-oop and layup, followed by an assist to Lendeborg for a slam. The Demon Deacons tied the game at 64 with under nine minutes left — the first tie since early in the first half.

Michigan regained the lead on a Mara-to-Lendeborg alley-oop, but Wake surged ahead 75–68 with 4:14 remaining. Cadeau and Mara led the response, and Gayle Jr. drilled a corner three to tie the game at 78 with under a minute left. Cadeau’s baseline drive and a defensive stop sent the game to overtime.

Michigan won the tip and Cadeau found Mara for a thunderous dunk to open the extra period. The Wolverines scored on their first two possessions but went cold until the final seconds. Leading 85–84 with 6.6 seconds left, Michigan forced a missed layup and held on for the win.

Trailing 75–68 with 4:14 left, Michigan used a 7–0 run sparked by Mara free throws, a Cadeau assist, and Gayle’s game-tying three to swing momentum. Cadeau’s late layup and defensive pressure sealed the overtime push.

Now, Michigan switches up its focus to a Big 12 foe as the Wolverines travel to Fort Worth to face TCU on Friday, Nov. 14 at Schollmaier Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2.