Sometimes the Goliaths are just a little too big and strong.

That was the case in Thursday’s nightcap at Ball Arena, as No. 5 Michigan survived No. 12 UC San Diego’s slingshot, 68-65.

The Tritons, making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since transitioning to Division I, had the Wolverines, in their 32nd NCAA Tournament appearance, on the ropes late. Michigan used its size to muscle into the second round where it will face No. 4 Texas A&M on Saturday for a spot in the Sweet 16.

“Great response to a disappointing first half. (I) thought we played a little more the way we wanted to play in the second half, gave ourselves a chance,” UC San Diego coach Eric Olen said after.

“Unfortunately, (we) just came up a couple plays short.”

It looked like the Tritons, who didn’t have a player taller than 6-foot-8 step on the court, would have a shot at their first March Madness moment after Michigan’s Roddy Gayle Jr. missed a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left. Michigan’s 7-foot-1 center Vlad Goldin ripped the ball away from the crowd and scored the game’s final points from the free throw line.

“I did not want to go home,” Goldin said. “So, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

The Wolverines’ other 7-footer, Danny Wolf, missed his coach’s instruction to foul in the final 7 seconds, but he did well enough after switching onto Tyler McGhie to challenge what would’ve been the game-tying 3-pointer in the final 4 seconds.

“I thought they would go quick. We thought they would try to get a quick two with 19 seconds,” Michigan coach Dusty May said.

“I don’t have my voice. He couldn’t see me. He was locked into playing defense. He actually forced them inside the line, popped back out. I thought Danny stayed in the space fairly well.”

McGhie led the Tritons with 25 points and thought he was going to get to 28 with a chance for 30 in overtime. He scored his team’s final nine points.

“Down the stretch we were hunting the big men,” McGhie said. “Yeah, I think I got the shot I wanted. Step back going left. I thought it was in. (It) hit the back, couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it.”

Goldin led Michigan with 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Wolf grabbed 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass, to go with nine points, two assists, a couple of blocks and steal. Tre Donaldson, who hit the 3-pointer that put Michigan up one point with 2 minutes and 13 seconds left, finished with 12 points, while Roddy Gayle Jr. added with 11.

“Those hustle plays, especially by Vlad, Rubin, and Danny, (who) didn’t have one of his better games offensively, but he was a monster on the glass, five offensive rebounds,” May said. “Tre Donaldson, big shots, Roddy Gayle getting downhill, we needed all those paint points.”

Nordin Kapic, UC San Diego’s starting big man, added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Hayden Gray added 10 points.

Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, UC San Diego’s leading scorer, picked up his third and fourth fouls in the first minute of the second half. He finished with seven points in 25 minutes of playing time after fouling out with his team down five in the final 7 minutes.

“Fortunately for us Tait-Jones played in foul trouble most of the night,” May said. “I thought we did a nice job of defending him one-on-one. I think our size helped in that regard.”

The Tritons dealt with some NCAA Tournament debut nerves, missing their first six shots. Michigan scored the first 10 points before UC San Diego got on the board 5 minutes in. The Wolverines led 41-27 at halftime and extended the lead to 15 early in the second half. The Tritons then scored the next 12 points to make it a three-point game.

McGhie tied the game in the final 3 minutes with his third 3-pointer of the night and gave the Tritons a lead on the next possession, but Michigan used its might to hold off a biblical underdog.

“They just keep coming at you, keep coming at you. They believe, as well. They have older guys. Man, they put on a performance in the second half,” May said.

“But like the rebounds of Vlad, I thought Rubin Jones had two monster rebounds as well. Those aren’t rebounds that land in your hands. He got one big tip-out which allowed us to call a timeout. Late he finished it up at the very, very end with another rebound.”