DENVER, Colo. — The University of Michigan men’s basketball team, ranked 14th and seeded fifth, narrowly secured a 68-65 victory against No. 12-seeded UC San Diego on Thursday night (March 20) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Key free throws from Vladislav Goldin in the closing moments paved the way for Michigan’s advancement to the next round.
Key Performers
Goldin led the way for Michigan with 14 points while shooting 5-for-9 from the field, along with seven rebounds. Tre Donaldson contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, and Roddy Gayle Jr. added 11 points to the scoreline.
Crucial Moments
In the final minute, with Michigan holding a one-point lead, the Wolverines failed to score on three attempts. After UC San Diego missed a shot, Michigan regained possession and called a timeout with 42 seconds left. Goldin got an offensive rebound and was fouled, converting both free throws to extend the lead to three points. UC San Diego missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, securing Michigan’s first-round win.
Second Half Highlights
Goldin opened the second half with a free throw to maintain the momentum from his 11 first-half points, but UC San Diego responded with a 12-0 scoring run to narrow the gap to three points at 42-39. The Wolverines struggled initially, hitting only one of their first eight shots. However, they rallied with a 10-2 run after making four consecutive free throws, restoring their lead to double digits, 56-46.
Goldin faced foul trouble at 8:27, allowing the Tritons to close the gap to five points with seven minutes remaining. Following a series of exchanged baskets, UC San Diego tied the game at 63 with just over three minutes left. After a missed free throw by Michigan, UC San Diego took a brief lead with a jumper, but a quick response from Donaldson’s three-pointer reclaimed the edge at 66-65 for the Wolverines.
First Half Overview
The Wolverines got off to a strong start, quickly building a 10-0 lead thanks to consecutive three-pointers from Danny Wolf and Nimari Burnett, which pushed UC San Diego into early struggles. Although Michigan had its own turnover challenges, they managed to push their lead to 14 points by halftime, ending the half with a 41-27 advantage behind Goldin’s final nine points.
Looking Ahead
Michigan will advance to the second round, facing the 19th-ranked and fourth-seeded Texas A&M on Saturday (March 22). The game is set to begin at 3:15 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on CBS.
Notes
• This is Michigan’s first return to the NCAA Tournament since 2022.
• Players Gayle, Rubin Jones, and L.J. Cason participated in their first NCAA Tournament game.
• Michigan’s win kept their postseason record unblemished at 4-0, bouncing back after three consecutive regular-season losses.
• With this victory, U-M provided Dusty May his 26th win, making him the most successful first-year coach in Michigan history.
• Michigan is among eight Big Ten teams participating in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Other notable victories included No. 3 Wisconsin defeating No. 14 Montana, No. 4 Purdue overcoming No. 13 High Point, and No. 7 UCLA defeating No. 10 Utah State.
