After struggling to close out games early in the season, the Michigan Wolverines have improved their late-game execution and have found a way to thrive in the most pressure-packed situations throughout their current six-game win streak:
After struggling to close out games early in the year — including some games in heart-breaking fashion — the Michigan Wolverines have improved their late-game execution and have thrived in pressure-packed situations as of late.
Dusty May’s team has won six consecutive games, with each win being by four points or less. Michigan sits atop the Big Ten with a 12-2 record, including a 9-1 mark in games decided by one or two possessions, with the lone blip on the radar being the buzzer-beating loss at Minnesota.
“We played a challenging schedule early when we were still trying to figure ourselves out and we had some bad fortune, but we didn’t drop our heads, point fingers or place blame,” May told the media on Monday. “The character in our locker room is the biggest reason. When we get in those situations, we talk about how our trust and belief in each other will allow us to win because we’ve been in a lot of close games. We have a lot of confidence and belief that we’re going to win down the stretch.”
Dusty May broke down how early-season losses helped #Michigan improve its late-game confidence and execution.
“We talk about how our trust and belief in each other will allow us to win because we’ve been in a lot of close games.”https://t.co/ggHWiVvddW pic.twitter.com/QO5uIirjha
— Chas Post (@chas_post23) February 18, 2025
It appears the Wolverines have learned from early-season setbacks, resulting in a higher level of execution late in games. That was especially apparent in the 86-83 win at Ohio State on Sunday. Coming out of a timeout with the game tied and less than two minutes remaining, the Wolverines surged ahead by scoring four straight points to regain momentum and eventually win the game.
One of the main factors behind Michigan’s ability to close games is its balanced offensive attack. With all five starters being capable of contributing offensively, opposing defenses aren’t able to focus on containing just one or two players.
Roddy Gayle Jr., Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf each came up with clutch buckets in the final minutes at Ohio State. Additionally, Nimari Burnett, Tre Donaldson and Rubin Jones have also stepped up in recent weeks.
“When you look at the beginning of our season with the losses against Arkansas and Oklahoma, and the buzzer-beater at Minnesota, we’ve been on the opposite end of these close games,” Wolf said following the win at Ohio State. “I think as tough as it is in those moments, when you look at the bigger picture, it gets you ready for games like this. I’m just so proud of my teammates for how far we’ve come this year in terms of sticking together. When we’re up or down, we stick together.”
The Wolverines have showcased a newfound composure and resilience in clutch moments, which should continue to lead to success moving forward. Even when shots aren’t falling consistently, Michigan has found different ways to win.
“When we don’t make shots, we can still find a way to win — that’s been our message all year,” May said “The nights that our shots aren’t falling, we have to find ways to win through defense, rebounding or whatever the case. Hopefully we get back to banging in shots at a higher clip but if we don’t, then we still feel very confident that we’re going to find a way.”
Over the season, Michigan has turned a big weakness into an even bigger strength, and this confidence and poise will be invaluable in pursuit of a Big Ten title and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament .