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More Michigan magic
Wolverines get a game-winner to beat Rutgers, marking its 11th Big Ten win by four points or fewer. Plus: five teams clinched conference titles or top seeds in tournaments, UC San Diego boosted its case for an at-large bid, and we preview a weekend that'll be filled with bubble talk.
Tristan Freeman
February 28, 2025
Good morning! We’ve given plenty of attention to the SEC schools and Duke this season, but the Big Ten is coming in strong as perhaps the most entertaining conference. Thursday night saw yet another dramatic finish for that league.
Let’s dive in.
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1. Rutgers ‘just f------ devasted’ after Michigan’s win
Michigan entered Thursday night in need of a win to keep pace with Michigan State atop the Big Ten. Things didn’t start great, as it trailed by 12 at halftime after Rutgers shot nearly 70% from the field.
But the Wolverines clawed back in the second half, and much like the Spartans, got a little luck at the end.
MICHIGAN WINS IT AT THE BUZZER ‼️‼️
#B1GMBBall x @umichbball
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork)
4:12 AM • Feb 28, 2025
That Nimari Burnett basket gave Michigan an 84-82 win and marked its 11th conference win by four points or fewer, the most ever in the league.
It was a season-high 20 points for Burnett, while Vlad Goldin led all scorers with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Yes, there’s been a lot of luck with the Wolverines (22-6, 14-3) in the past couple of months, but the win column is what matters. They’re tied with Michigan State atop the standings, setting up a scenario where the March 9 rematch — the regular-season finale — will decide who gets both the title and a 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Dylan Harper and Lathan Sommerville each had 17 points for Rutgers (14-15, 7-11), which shot just 25% from the field in the second half. The loss left coach Steve Pikiell aghast at the finish.
Steve Pikiell to Jerry Recco and Austin Johnson: "Just fucking devastated for our fucking guys. ... Come into this place, play them toe-to-toe the whole time, and then to lose on that play? Just ... ugh."
— Brian Fonseca (@briannnnf)
4:22 AM • Feb 28, 2025
The Knights are tied in the loss column with four other programs for the 16th spot in the standings in a league where the bottom three teams don’t make the Big Ten Tournament. And with a road game at Purdue coming up, that regular-season finale versus Minnesota very well could be a true elimination game for both sides.
2. A few surprises among Thursday night’s clinchers
For many of the smaller conferences, Thursday night’s slate clarified who would be the 1 seeds in their respective conference tournaments. We saw five teams claim regular-season titles — including two that few predicted.
