March is just around the corner, but the Big Ten decided to give us an early taste of that magical month. Specifically, the state of Michigan has found quite the flair for the dramatic.
Just one night after Michigan State stayed atop the Big Ten standings with a stunning half-court buzzer beater, archrival Michigan kept pace with a deep dagger of its own. Down 82-81 with the clock rapidly draining, Michigan coach Dusty May called timeout with 3.3 seconds left to draw up a final play. The result may not have been according to plan, but his Wolverines did what they have done all season: find a way to scrape out a victory.
A sloppy inbound got the ball to Danny Wolf, a big man with tremendous passing vision, in a tough spot atop the key. He did not panic, though, and found Nimari Burnett lurking high on the left wing for a chance to win. Burnett did the rest, and the Wolverines secured an 84-82 win.
MICHIGAN WINS IT AT THE BUZZER ‼️‼️#B1GMBBall x @umichbball pic.twitter.com/aMKUNQPZnR
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 28, 2025
Michigan has still not won a game by more than four points since Jan. 12; remarkably, the Wolverines are 9-3 in that span. They have now set the record for the most conference wins by four points or fewer.
This latest bit of heroics allowed the Wolverines to keep pace with the Spartans, as both teams are 14-3 and in a tie for first place. The season finale rematch on March 9 between the two in East Lansing could be for all the marbles.
That shot was particularly special for Burnett, one of the few Wolverines who stayed in Ann Arbor through the coaching change after last year’s 8-24 debacle. The redshirt senior also battled through a torn ACL in his college career, so having a game like he did — 20 points, plus the game-winner — had to feel sweet. The Wolverines’ other veteran, Will Tschetter, poured in 16 points of his own off the bench, and May praised both for playing through illness in a postgame interview.
For Rutgers, that shot had to feel like yet another gut punch in a disappointing season. Freshman phenom Dylan Harper’s shoulders sagged after Burnett’s shot dropped through, as if to say, “what else can go wrong?” A campaign that started with buoyant optimism in Piscataway, N.J., has given way to a slog of a season, with the entire roster (and Harper especially) battling through both injury and illness for long stretches of time.
The Scarlet Knights have the talent to go on a run in the Big Ten Tournament. Their ceiling is immensely high when Harper and Bailey both play well and the role players make shots. They still have to ensure an appearance in the postseason, though, as Rutgers is now tied with four other teams at 11 conference losses. After Thursday night’s heartbreak, the Scarlet Knights must find some momentum on Saturday at reeling Purdue.
(Photo: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Images)
