Michigan Upsets No. 11 Wisconsin on Juwan Howard’s Birthday

ANN ARBOR — Michigan celebrated coach Juwan Howard‘s 51st birthday with a stunning upset, defeating the No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers 72-68 at Crisler Center on Wednesday night. It was a much-needed victory for the struggling Michigan Wolverines, who had lost five consecutive games prior.

Michigan entered the game seeking to break a pattern of second-half collapses. In the past 11 games, they had been outscored after halftime and lost 10 of them, including seven games where they held a halftime lead. However, this time, Coach Howard made key adjustments to his lineup that helped Michigan maintain their lead and secure the win.

The game was not without its challenges. Wisconsin, tied for second place in the Big Ten, led by four points with just over 13 minutes remaining. But this time, the Wolverines showed resilience and did not fold under the pressure.

Dug McDaniel, the starting point guard for Michigan, led the team with 16 points, 11 of which came in the first 11 minutes of the game. However, he sat out for over 11 minutes in the second half. Olivier Nkamhoua, another key starter, also spent eight minutes on the bench during this overlapping period. Nonetheless, other players stepped up, with A.J. Storr scoring 20 points for Wisconsin.

With 16:13 left in the game, Wisconsin took a one-point lead at 43-42. Michigan had to dig deep to regain control. They responded with an 8-0 run, reclaiming the lead at 52-48 with 11:23 remaining. Will Tschetter played a crucial role, drawing an offensive foul and sinking a 3-pointer during this run.

Michigan extended their lead to nine points in the final minutes, but Wisconsin fought back, cutting the deficit to two points late in the game. However, Michigan’s solid performance down the stretch ensured their victory.

Michigan’s next game will be against Nebraska on Saturday, while Wisconsin will look to bounce back from the loss and continue their pursuit of a top spot in the Big Ten.