Down by one point with 3:37 to play, Terrance Williams II launched a 3-pointer from the top of the key. It ricochetted high off the iron, rolling around before dropping into the basket, giving the Michigan men’s basketball team a lead it never relinquished.
But that wasn’t his biggest shot of the night. That came three minutes later.
Up four points with 0:33 remaining, the senior forward found himself alone in the corner with the ball headed his way. He launched another 3-pointer, and this shot took no detours on its way through the basket. Williams delivered again, finding nothing but net to give the Wolverines an insurmountable seven-point lead and blow the roof off of Crisler Center.
Williams’ dagger didn’t just seal Michigan’s 73-65 victory. It didn’t just shut the door on rival Ohio State. It didn’t just snap the Wolverines’ five-game losing streak. It was also Williams’ fifth make of the game from downtown — on as many attempts — highlighting an 18-point, five-rebound, three-assist performance, his most impactful of the season.
“He made a three towards the end of the ballgame that was, one would say was a dagger,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said. “But it was nice to see the smile on his face after he made that three.”
That smile from Williams stayed put long after the game and into his postgame press conference. It was a smile he earned through his all-around performance on Monday. His team-high plus-19, 11 points higher than his next-leading teammate, is indicative of how Williams catapulted the Wolverines on both ends.
In addition to his offensive showcase, he delivered defensively as well. In the second half, Michigan let up a 16-0 run to the Buckeyes over its five-minute scoring drought. Williams was on the bench for most of that stretch, getting some of the few minutes of rest the Wolverines could afford to give him all game. When Williams was out, Ohio State delivered its most lethal blows, scoring nine unanswered points to take the lead.
“We talk a lot about offense because he makes shots and he makes timely shots,” Howard said. “But defensively, he’s rock solid as they come. Because he’s so smart as a player. He has a high IQ and he knows which position to be in. He also knows the other team’s sets. We ask our team to watch film, T-Will doesn’t hesitate. He watches not only just film, but he watches games just to get a feel for his opponent.”
Whether a result of his extra film study or other factors, Williams’ performance was reminiscent of his 2022 performance against the Buckeyes, when he stepped up in a major way to keep Michigan’s NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
After a rough 2022-23 campaign, Williams has seemingly built back the same confidence he previously played with. This season, a solid offensive contribution from a confident Williams is common.
So when Williams launched his shot with 33 seconds left, he didn’t flinch.
“(My confidence) was very high, my confidence is high all the time,” Williams said. “So I just took the shot. I work on it every day. So this is not a new shot for me and I just took it, shot it, I always do.”
While this season Williams often shoots from beyond the arc with confidence, connecting from deep on 44.9% of his attempts, he also acknowledged that it wasn’t always this easy.
“We all gotta go through something, and you know, I think that was my going through something last year with how I played,” Williams said. “You learn from your lessons. You can never lose if you learn from it. So that’s how I took it. And that’s why I came back this year with more confidence, worked on my game and that was shown.”
The results of Williams’ work left no doubts on Monday, demonstrating his offseason improvements for everyone to see. Confidently shooting 5-for-5 from beyond the arc, Williams had a great day. But it wasn’t a fluke. Rather, it was a result of his active work to build himself back up.
With two clutch 3-pointers in the final four minutes and an undeniable all-around presence, Terrance Williams wasn’t just confident. He was the answer the Wolverines needed, time and time again.