Michigan Wolverines Survive Wake Forest in Overtime Thriller,85-84
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Michigan secured a hard-fought 85-84 overtime victory against Wake Forest Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena,showcasing resilience and individual brilliance in the Deacon-Wolverine Challenge. The sixth-ranked Wolverines (2-0) demonstrated their championship mettle, overcoming a late deficit and a resolute Demon deacon squad (2-1) in a game filled with dramatic swings.
Mara’s Historic Performance Leads the Way
Candidate Mara delivered a performance for the ages,leading all scorers with 18 points and adding a career-high 13 rebounds,six assists,and five blocks. This marks his second consecutive double-double and the fourth of his collegiate career. “mara was dominant tonight,” one analyst noted, “He impacted every facet of the game.” Elliot Gift contributed a strong 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, including a crucial assist late in the second half to force overtime. Roddy Gayle Jr. added 13 points, while Morez Johnson Jr. chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
A Back-and-Forth Battle to Overtime
The turning point came in the final minutes of regulation. A pair of free throws from Mara,coupled with a key turnover forced by the Wolverines,set up Gayle for a game-tying three-pointer,capping a 7-0 run over 2:30 and forcing a Wake Forest timeout.While Wake Forest briefly regained the lead with a three-pointer of their own, a clutch baseline drive and layup from Cadeau, combined with stifling defense that resulted in another turnover, sent the game into overtime.
Overtime Drama and a Wolverine Victory
In overtime, the teams traded blows, with Wake Forest taking a narrow lead before a crucial three-pointer from Johnson and a three-pointer from Lendeborg. After a brief scoring lull, the Wolverines regained their composure, tying the game at 18 following layups from McKenney and another dunk from Lendeborg. A layup from It’s Money Burnett gave Michigan a 22-21 lead, and the Wolverines entered the bonus with eight minutes left in the half. Michigan closed the first half on a high note, making their final four field goals and building a 13-point lead, 47-34, at intermission, fueled by strong performances from Cadeau and Mara.
What’s Next for the Wolverines
The Wolverines will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU on friday (Nov.14) at Schollmaier Arena,completing a two-year home-and-home series. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT, with live coverage on ESPN2.
Game Notes
- Michigan is now 4-0 at Little Caesars Arena since its opening in September 2017.
- This overtime victory is Michigan’s first since an 80-76 win against Northwestern last season.
- Wake forest committed a program-record 29 fouls, surpassing the previous record of 25 set by Texas A&M in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
- Cadeau reached both 200 career rebounds and 400 career assists during the game, also setting new career highs in rebounds (8) and free throws attempted (11).
- Burnett made his 70th consecutive start in as many games played.
- Mara grabbed his 200th career rebound, breaking his previous best of 12, and also set new career highs in assists (6) and blocks (5).
- Mara became just the fourth Division I player in the last 20 years to record 18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and five blocks in a single game.
- LJ Cason achieved career highs with six made free throws on eight attempts,surpassing his previous best of four made free throws.
