Madison Square Garden, NY—-The Michigan Wolverines were narrowly defeated by the Arkansas Razorbacks, 89-87, in an intense matchup at the Jimmy V Classic. Despite overcoming an 18-point deficit in the second half, Michigan’s potential game-tying shot fell short as the buzzer sounded, sealing their second loss of the season.
Arkansas initially surged to a commanding 29-14 lead, but Michigan rallied and fought back in the second half. The Razorbacks extended their advantage to 80-62 midway through the period, only to see the Wolverines respond with a 12-0 run that brought them within striking distance. However, Michigan was unable to complete the comeback, falling to 8-2 on the season.
Vlad Goldin led the Wolverines with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Danny Wolf contributed 14 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds in the loss. Arkansas’ Boogie Fland was the game’s top scorer, finishing with 20 points.
Michigan started strong, connecting on 11 consecutive shots, including a 23-7 run that gave them a 15-point lead. Guard Nimari Burnett and forward Will Tschetter combined for 21 points in the first half. Despite shooting an impressive 19-for-31 from the field and 7-for-12 from beyond the arc, the Wolverines couldn’t maintain their momentum, and Arkansas cut the lead to just four, trailing 49-45 at halftime.
The Razorbacks came out of the break with renewed energy, launching a 12-0 run that gave them control of the game. Michigan struggled to recover, committing five turnovers and failing to score for the first four minutes of the second half.
Just when it seemed Arkansas would pull away, Michigan regained composure. Guard Roddy Gayle Jr. energized the team with a powerful two-handed dunk, cutting the lead to 82-78 with 4:01 remaining.
With just over a minute left, Wolf finished at the rim to bring Michigan within one point, but a turnover by point guard Tre Donaldson prevented the Wolverines from taking the lead on the next possession.
Goldin had a chance to put Michigan ahead in the final seconds, but his shot was blocked. After a timeout, the Wolverines had one final opportunity to force overtime, but Gayle’s fallaway jumper missed, bouncing off the front of the rim.
Looking Ahead
While Michigan came up short against Arkansas, the team demonstrated resilience in nearly completing a dramatic comeback. Although there are areas to improve, the Wolverines have shown significant potential this season.
Michigan will next face the Oklahoma Sooners in the Jumpman Invitational next Wednesday night. This will be another opportunity for the Wolverines to earn a quality win against a projected NCAA Tournament contender.
