COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of the best rivalries in sports went down to the final possession. Michigan, as its done for the past three weeks, prevailed in the end, beating Ohio State on Sunday at Value City Arena.

The Wolverines have won six straight. Their last seven wins have each come by four points or fewer. They remain on top of the Big Ten, a game ahead of Michigan State, their next opponent.

Final: 86-83

Record: 20-5 (12-2)

MVP: Danny Wolf

Unsung hero: Rubin Jones

Arch nemesis: Devin Royal

Top highlight: Out of a timeout, Roddy Gayle drives and scores to put Michigan ahead for good with 1:45 left.

Michigan’s “Area 51” frontcourt was efficient and effective: Vladislav Goldin had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Danny Wolf tallied 17 points, 11 boards, and five assists. They combined to make 16 of 26 field goals.

Roddy Gayle Jr., making his return to Columbus after playing the past two seasons at Ohio State, had nine points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:45 left. He added eight rebounds.

Devin Royal had 26 points for the Buckeyes (15-11, 7-8), and Bruce Thornton added 17 but missed a floater that would have tied the game in the final seconds.

The Wolverines improved to 6-2 in Big Ten road games. They host the Spartans on Friday.

Gayle entered the game during the first media timeout and was soundly booed on his first touch and each one after.

Michigan reserve forward Sam Walters sat for the second straight game, this time because of a lower back injury.

The pace and shot making picked up to start the second half. Michigan struck first to go up seven. Ohio State chipped away and tied the game at 61 with 13:37 left. They briefly took the lead a minute later, 65-63, on another strong drive from Thornton.

The game stayed within a possession for the next five minutes. Wolf’s basket pushed Michigan’s lead to five with 6:09 left; his one-footed fadeaway a minute later, after an offensive rebound, kept it there. Michigan got a few good looks at 3 but couldn’t convert. Devin Royal’s and-one cut the margin to two with 3:48 left.

Thornton set up a teammate and scored on his own to tie the game at 80 with 2:06 left. Michigan went to Gayle after a timeout and he scored on a drive. Michigan got a stop and scored again, with Goldin converted the third shot of the possession to put Michigan up four with 52 seconds left. After another Michigan timeout, Ohio State’s Micah Parrish, a Detroit native, canned a corner 3.

Ohio State called timeout with 32 seconds left. Michigan broke Ohio State’s press and after two fouls, Danny Wolf went to the line with 24 seconds left. He split a pair. Ohio State grabbed the miss and called timeout with 16 seconds left.

A somewhat discombobulated play still resulted in Thornton getting a clean look at a short floater. He short-armed an air ball that ended up with Michigan’s Rubin Jones, who was fouled with 0.2 seconds left, making one for the final margin.

Goldin and Nimari Burnett (11 points) scored Michigan’s first 14 points. Michigan fell behind 21-16 but scored the next eight, with the Wolf-Goldin two-man game and Michigan’s switch to a zone defense both paying off. A flagrant foul on Will Tschetter led to a five-point Ohio State possession and a 26-24 Buckeyes lead. Two straight steals helped put Michigan back ahead.

Wolf and Donaldson sat for stretches with foul trouble but the Wolverines survived. Their full-court press disrupted the Buckeyes, who missed nine straight shots to help Michigan take a 35-29 lead with 5:48 left in the half. Freshman L.J. Cason saw the court for the second straight game and gave Michigan a boost, driving for a layup and hitting a 3 to put Michigan ahead 42-35 with 90 seconds left in the half.

Goldin’s putback just before the buzzer made it 44-39 Michigan at half.

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