The Michigan Wolverines took a close and physical game from the Penn State Nittany Lions on Monday night. It was a game that head coach Dusty May felt came down to Michigan’s defensive intensity in a game where they were allowed to play physically.

Point guard Tre Donaldson wouldn't call his game-winning final sequence a season-saver, but he did call it a morale "booster" for the team.

Michigan coach Dusty May was thoroughly impressed by the environment at Purdue's Mackey Arena on Friday night, calling it, "more impressive" than he thought.

Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) reaches for the ball between the legs of Michigan center Vladislav Goldin (50) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) AP

Michigan coach Dusty May gave a lot of credit to Purdue's competitiveness on Friday night, saying the Boilermakers had a 'different look' vs. the Wolverines.

While it may be easier for Michigan to simply erase the Purdue loss from its memory, head coach Dusty May won't allow the team to do that.

“We’ve got to fix some things,” May said. “We’ve got to find some solutions to the problems that we face.”

Donaldson found Roddy Gayle for a dunk to spark the final push, and after a Penn State turnover at the other end, he managed to corral a loose-ball offensive rebound thanks to Will Tschetter’s heads-up effort in the paint. Donaldson then knocked down a mid-range jumper to cut the lead to 72-71, and suddenly the home crowd was on its feet roaring.

Michigan basketball's Dusty May doesn't want any fines, but he was absolutely perplexed by the refereeing in Sunday's win vs. Northwestern.

Michigan basketball nearly let its hand off the wheel, but held on for a 76-72 lead over Penn State to stay perfect at home

"Trey (McKenney) embodies everything it means to be a Michigan Man," U-M coach Dusty May said. "He has been taught how to play the game the right way"

Tre Donaldson and Michigan will be back in action on Saturday as they will hit the road to take on Rutgers. The Wolverines and Scarlet Knights will tip at 3:30 ET from Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the game will be airing on Fox.