Since the start of the season, the No. 3 Michigan men’s basketball team has prioritized its identity as a team over the individual. With eight players averaging double-digit minutes, the Wolverines don’t rely on the same five players to hoist them to victory night by night.
And against Michigan’s highest-ranked opponent thus far, No. 5 Nebraska, the Wolverines didn’t change a thing. Relying on their bench as much as they have all season, two rotational players — graduate forward Will Tschetter and freshman guard Trey McKenney — were the difference makers against the Cornhuskers.
“We got great contributions off the bench from (McKenney) and (Tschetter),” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “And when you’re chasing the championship you just have to have different guys step up each and every night.”
While the majority of the duo’s contributions came late in the second half, McKenney was quietly impactful in his six-minute first half. With a team-leading plus-minus of five, McKenney countered Nebraska’s flurry from three with two of his own on 67% efficiency. More than just scoring, his presence beyond the arc created space for the Wolverines to drive while also giving them an easy outlet when the paint was congested.
Defined by his reliability, Tschetter capitalized from the get-go. In a half where Michigan trailed by eight and scored just 11 points in 10 minutes, Tschetter made his first shot count. Stuffed in the right corner, Tschetter wasted no time, draining a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer.
Now down six following a jumper from the Cornhuskers, McKenney took over for the Wolverines. Taking what the defense was giving him — overly handsy play — McKenney chucked up a three, looking for a trip to the line. He got the call, but more importantly, he made it count.
“I thought his three free throws were probably the biggest points in the game,” May said. “… We were down eight. We were in a funk. Brain fog. … He knocks down those three free throws and you can almost see that sense of belief that now we’re getting stops. Our defense is on.”
This dependability, especially with free throws given Michigan’s pace of play, has kept the Wolverines afloat all year. By having players with differing skillsets from the starters — like Tschetter’s combination of size and three-point ability — Michigan has thrived even when its go-to guys get cold.
And after a Wolverines crucial stop with seven minutes on the clock, the only Michigan player with a better free-throw percentage than McKenney earned his own trip to the line. Going two-for-two from the line, Tschetter brought the Wolverines back within a field goal of Nebraska.
While Tschetter was perfect from the field, McKenney was not. Despite missing some crucial 3-pointers and getting blocked at the rim, McKenney still managed to get the last laugh. Tied up with a minute to go in the biggest game of the season thus far, McKenney pick-pocketed Cornhusker guard Jamarques Lawrence. Allowing the play to develop, McKenney sat tight in the corner until his man sagged off, just enough for him to call for the ball and drive to the hoop for a tough two through contact.
“They were just baseline,” McKenney said. “I was open, so I laid it up and (it was) just a beautiful thing to see the ball go in.”
With McKenney’s final teardrop landing, Michigan earned the lead and ultimately closed out the game. Consistent as ever, Tschetter and McKenney’s play off the bench solidified the Wolverines’ identity once again, as they put previously unbeaten Nebraska to bed.
