Wolverines Survive Wake Forest in OT Thriller at Little Caesars Arena
DETROIT, Mich. — It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t easy, but it was a win. The No. 6 Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team stayed perfect at 2-0 after a heart-pounding 85-84 overtime victory over a scrappy Wake Forest squad in the Wolverine-Deacon Challenge. A week after completely dismantling Oakland University by 43 points in their season opener, this one was anything but a tune-up. In a game that felt more like March than November, Michigan flashed both its championship potential and its early-season flaws — but made just enough plays to pull it out at Little Caesars Arena.
Wake Forest came into the matchup 2-0 after wins over American and Morehead State, and this was their first real test — one that proved they’re far from an ACC afterthought. Most prognosticators have the Demon Deacons pegged for the middle or lower half of the conference, but with Coach Steve Forbes leading the way, they might be underappreciated. Michigan certainly found out they’re no pushover. Wake Forest has finished with 20 or more wins in three of the past four seasons and tied for fourth in the ACC alongside North Carolina last year.
🏀 Wolverine Stat Capsule
Final: Michigan 85, Wake Forest 84 (OT) | Records: UM (2–0), WF (2–1)
Top Performer: Aday Mara — 18 PTS, 13 REB, 6 AST, 5 BLK
Next Up: @ TCU – Fri, Nov. 14 – 8 PM CT (ESPN2)
A Tale of Two Halves
Michigan came out like a top-ten team should — attacking the paint, sharing the rock, and building a 47-34 halftime lead behind double-figure efforts from Elliot Cadeau and Aday Mara. The Wolverines moved the ball with purpose, hitting 12-of-16 on two-point attempts and looking every bit the part of a Big Ten contender.
Then came the gut check. Wake Forest stormed out of the locker room with a 7-0 run, outscoring Michigan 13-6 in the first five minutes of the half. The Wolverines went ice-cold from deep — just 4-for-25 (16%) on the night — and the Deacons clawed back to tie things at 64 with nine minutes left. By the four-minute mark, Michigan trailed 77-70 and the building went silent.
Clutch Plays and Overtime Drama
Enter Roddy Gayle Jr. With the game slipping away, Gayle buried a game-tying three to ignite the crowd and force overtime. From there, it turned into a grind-fest. Both sides traded buckets, but Michigan’s defense tightened when it mattered most — and when Wake Forest’s final layup rimmed out, the Wolverines walked off 85-84 winners. It wasn’t pretty, but it was gritty. And in Detroit, grit travels.
Mara’s Monster Night
Junior center Aday Mara was unstoppable — 18 points (8-of-11 shooting), 13 boards, 6 assists, and 5 blocks. He became just the fourth Division I player in 20 years to hit that stat line in a single game. His rim protection changed everything; his passing kept the offense flowing. Simply put: Michigan doesn’t win this game without him.
As The Michigan Daily noted, even coach Dusty May pointed to Mara’s defense as the difference:
“His rim protection, I thought, was probably the difference in the game. We forced a team that doesn’t want to shoot a lot of floaters and tough middies into floaters and tough middies.”
Mara put the exclamation point on the night, forcing Wake Forest’s last shot high and off-balance — the perfect summary of his dominance. From start to finish, the big man owned the floor.
All Hands on Deck
It was a true team effort.
- Elliot Cadeau: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists — and career milestones of 200 rebounds and 400 assists.
- Roddy Gayle Jr.: 13 points and the clutchest shot of the night.
- Morez Johnson Jr.: 10 points, 8 boards, steady presence inside.
Seven different Wolverines scored eight or more, proving this group has the depth and balance to hang with anyone.
Health Check
Good news on the injury front:
- Yaxel Lendeborg is no longer sporting a hand wrap and looked near full strength.
- Winters Grady returned from a foot issue.
- Ricky Liburd remains a redshirt for 2025-26.
Next Up: TCU Showdown
No rest for the Maize and Blue. Michigan heads to Fort Worth, Texas to face TCU on Friday, Nov. 14 (ESPN2, 8 p.m. CT) — the finale of a two-year home-and-home series. After surviving a thriller in Detroit, the Wolverines will look to tighten up the perimeter shooting and carry their toughness on the road.
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Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted Michigan outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
*Quote attributed to The Michigan Daily (Nov. 2025 game recap).
