Donaldson stars once again, leads U-M to Big 10 title

Mar 16, 2025, 06:15 PM ET

INDIANAPOLIS– Tre Donaldson appears to have this March Insanity things down pat.The Wolverines protect delivered his 2nd clutch play in two days, this time making the consent 3-pointer with 1:54 delegated send No. 22 Michigan past No. 18 Wisconsin 59-53 for the Big Ten competition title Sunday.Donaldson scored 11 points and had eight assists one day after catching an inbound pass on the run with 5.3 seconds left and driving the length of the floor for the winning layup in a semifinal success over Maryland, reviving images from past NCAA tournaments.Now, Donaldson and his teammates wish to stay focused on the future and

keep this momentum for three more weeks.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated “I know who I am, I understood who my group is,”Donaldson said.

“It was just the desire

to win. I wish to win. It’s just me bringing that energy; I feel that was a big thing. I brought the energy.”And a penchant for making big-time plays.The Wolverines(25-9 )arrived in Indianapolis trying to snap a three-game losing streak that cost them the regular-season title and declaring the school’s very first tournament title considering that winning it back to back in 2017 and 2018. There was absolutely nothing simple about it for Michigan.The Wolverines needed 3 wins in 3 days, beginning against Purdue, which is playing practically an hour from school. The Wolverines then required Donaldson’s heroics to reach the title game. So, on a day both teams looked tired out, the Wolverines outlived Wisconsin(26-9) playing its 4th game in four days.Vladislav Goldin also scored 11 points Sunday and was called the tourney’s A lot of Outstanding Player.But nobody was much better this weekend than Donaldson, “I don’t remember the information of what was said at halftime, however I understood we were going to have to dig

deep and find a method,”first-year Michigan coach Dusty May said.”Given, we got a break by not playing four games in four days and we were optimstic their legs may not fare in addition to ours.” Donaldson’s fast pace made sure of it.Wisconsin shot simply 22.1 %from the field and only made just 17.9% of its 3-pointers as the game slipped away.Michigan closed it on an 11-2 run.John Tonje, the Badgers’top scorer, was 1-of-14 from the field with nine points. John Blackwell scored 18 for Wisconsin, which still hasn’t won a tournament title considering that 2015.”We had some wide-open appearances, one on the corner

. Blackwell had one broad open up off the slot, up one,”Badgers coach Greg Gard stated.”If you’re going to win a champion, you have actually got to make a play, and part of making a play is tearing down a shot in a tight ballgame.”Michigan and Donaldson did, Wisconsin and Tonje didn’t. Two days after connecting a tourney single-game record with 19 3-pointers, the Badgers were simply 15-of-68 from the field.The Wolverines lost the rebounding battle, however won it late which showed the difference as they got rid of fatigue to grind out a victory.Donaldson’s 3 with 1:52 left lastly offered Michigan the lead and fueled the decisive spurt.The Badgers and Wolverines will see each other again Thursday

in Denver when third-seeded Wisconsin deals with 14th-seeded Montana. The fifth-seeded Wolverines take on 12-seed UC San Diego.