2013-14 Schedule

Glenn Robinson III

Here’s what we know about Michigan’s 2013-14 schedule.

They will participate in the 2013 Puerto Rico Tip Off. That field features Auburn, Charlotte, Florida State, Georgetown, Kansas State, Long Beach State,Michigan and VCU. The games will be played November 21-24.

December 3rd: at Duke (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)

TBD at Iowa State

December 14: vs Arizona

December 21: vs Stanford (Barclays Center)

2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Darius Morris

When John Beilein took over the reins of Michigan Basketball one of his key early recruits was point guard Darius Morris. Morris started 19 games as a freshman and averaged 4.4 points and 2.6 assists per game. He was handed the keys to the team as a sophomore and responded with a great season in which he set the school’s single season assist record (235), averaged 16.7 points, 6.7 assists and 4 rebounds per game. It was Morris who nearly sent Michigan’s NCAA Tournament game against Duke into OT. Instead, his shot at the buzzer bounced off the back of the rim and the Blue Devils advanced to the Sweet 16.

Morris decided to make the jump to the NBA after that season. When the Lakers selected Morris in the second round (41st overall) he became the first Wolverine to be drafted since 2004 (Bernard Robinson Jr). Morris has had mis moments for Los Angeles this season, including a 24 point 6 assist performance in game 3 against the Spurs during the first round of the playoffs.

Trey Burke

Trey Burke

When Morris made the decision to leave early, some Michigan fans were worried about who would run the show in his absence. The answer was incoming freshman Trey Burke. He might not have been the highest ranked recruit entering the NCAA that fall, but by the time he left Michigan he was a unanimous National Player of the Year and Michigan’s fifth consensus All-American. Burke’s sophomore season was one for the ages. He shattered Morris’ single season assist record by dishing out 260 helpers.

The Wolverines were 55-18 in Burke’s two seasons. They won their first Big Ten Championship in 26 years and advanced to the Final Four for the first time in 20 years. On June 27th, Burke will become the first Michigan player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft since Jamal Crawford (2000).

The future is bright

Derrick Walton

Michigan has another highly touted point guard set to begin his collegiate career this fall. Derrick Walton is ranked as the #8 point guard in the nation and #30 overall by EPSNU. He averaged 26.2 points, 10.1 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 5.4 steals while shooting 80.7 percent from the free throw line this past season, leading the Eagles (20-4) to the Class B regional semifinals

Walton is walking into a point guard’s dream offense. One where he has the freedom to create and run in the open court. He will be surrounded by elite athletes and one of the nation’s premier three-point shooters.

Michigan has another point guard, you might remember him. Spike Albrecht became a household name when he dropped 17 points on Louisville in the first half of the national championship game.

Point guards all across the country have taken notice of Point Guard U. Michigan is zeroing in on some of the nation’s best point guards in the 2015 class, players like Sedrick Barefield, Jalen Brunson, Jalen Coleman, and Hyron Edwards. If one of those players were to jump at an offer from John Beilein, they would be the next in line of what is becoming a very impressive point guard lineage. They would also be on a path that leads to the NBA.

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Michigan basketball schedule and recruiting update

Tim Hardaway Jr’s bio

A three year starter, for Michigan, Hardaway Jr was instrumental in returning Michigan Basketball to relevance. He missed just one game in his career and started all 107 games he did play in. The Wolverines were 76-32 during Hardaway Jr’s career and appeared in the NCAA Tournament all three season. In his final season, Michigan advanced to the National Championship game where they lost to Louisville.

As a freshman, Hardaway Jr was named honorable mention All-Big Ten. His sophomore season he was selected to the All-Big Ten third team and as a junior he earned All-Big Ten first team honors. His junior season was his finest as he averaged career bests for points (14.5), rebounds (4.7) and assists (2.4) per game, as well as field goal percentage (43.7) and three-point field goal percentage (37.4). Hardaway posted 30 double-figure scoring games with seven games of 20-plus points.

Hardaway Jr was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 NIT Season Tip-Off. He averaged 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds to help lead Michigan to the championship.

He finished his career with 1,532 points which ranks him 18th on Michigan’s all-time scoring list. He ranks sixth in school history with 202 career three-pointers. Hardaway also pulled down 440 rebounds and notched 76 steals in his career.

Hardaway ranks 26th in school history with a career scoring average of 14.3 points per game. He also averaged 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. His 107 career starts are the 11th most in Michigan history.

Hardaway Jr opted to forgo his final season of eligibility and became the 14th Michigan player to enter the NBA Draft early.

Find out where we ranked him on the list of Michigan’s all-time best shooting guards

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Michigan Basketball and the NBA Draft

Andrew Dakich (Photo credit: IndyStar)

Michigan Basketball needed to add some depth to their 2013-14 roster and they found the perfect player to do that when they offered Andrew Dakich a chance to be a preferred walk-on. Dakich had similar offers from Butler and Purdue, but was drawn to the Wolverines. He is the son of Dan Dakich and played AAU ball with Mark Donnal.

Dakich is a 6-foot-2, 170 pound point guard out of Zionsville, Indiana. He is an excellent facilitator and very cerebral player who also possesses great leadership traits. He reported on twitter that he received a big hug from Mitch McGary when he committed and said he is excited to become a part of the Michigan Basketball family. Dakich tweeted: “Thank all the people who helped influence me on my decision. I just want to win national championships and that’s what Michigan is all about.”

With the addition of Dakich, Michigan now has 12 players on the 2013-14 roster.

The 2013-14 roster

Jordan Morgan – Senior
Jon Horford – RS Junior
Max Bielfeldt – RS Sophomore
Spike Albrecht – Sophomore
Caris LeVert – Sophomore
Mitch McGary – Sophomore
Glenn Robinson III – Sophomore
Nik Stauskas – Sophomore
Andrew Dakich – Frehman
Mark Donnal – Freshman
Zak Irvin – Freshman
Derrick Walton – Freshman

Michigan has one commit so far in their 2014 class, Ricky Doyle.

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Michigan Basketball’s all-time best point guards

Michigan Basketball remains rock solid

Michigan Basketball schedule and recruiting updates

Glenn Robinson III

Michigan will participate in the 2013 Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Other schools that will be playing in the event are Auburn, Charlotte, Florida State, Georgetown, Kansas State, Long Beach State and VCU.

The 2013 Puerto Rico Tip-Off will feature a bracket format with 12 games over three days. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through the bracket. The two teams that remain undefeated throughout will face off in a championship game on the final day of competition.

The Wolverines will host Arizona, play at Iowa State and tangle with Stanford at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Additionally Michigan will likely play a road game in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Recruiting Update

With the early departures of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr to the NBA, Michigan will likely add another player to the 2013 class. Currently they have signed letter’s of intent from three top 100 players; Zak Irvin, Derrick Walton and Mark Donnal. Michigan is showing interest in Andrew Dakich, son of Dan, who is a point guard out of Zionsville, Indiana.

Class of 2014

Devin Booker

Michigan has a commitment from one class of 2014 recruit, Ricky Doyle. He is a 6-9, 225 pounder out of Fort Myers, Florida. The Wolverines are in a good position with 5-star guard Devin Booker (Moss Point, Mississippi), but they will have to beat out a veritable who’s who of college basketball for his services. He is being recruited by Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina and his dad’s alma mater, Missouri.

Michigan is also strong with Trevon Blueitt (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Vince Edwards (Franklin, Ohio).

Class of 2015

John Beilein will being extending offers to class of 2015 recruits in June. You can expect the first offer will go to Luke Kennard (Franklin, Ohio). Kennard averaged 25 points per game as a sophomore this past season. Michigan also likes point guard Jalen Coleman (Indianapolis, Indiana). Another tantalizing 2015 prospect Michigan is watching is point guard Sedrick Barefield (Corona, California). The 6-foot-2, Barefield is ranked #38 by rivals.

Another top recruit Michigan is in the mix for is rivals 18th ranked player, Dwayne Bacon (Lakeland, Florida).

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Michigan Basketball’s all-time best point guards

Michigan Basketball remains rock solid

A post-spring look at Michigan Football’s offense

Had McGary and Robinson bolted campus it would have left Michigan with just nine players on the roster: Nik Stauskas, Jordan Morgan, Jon Horford, Spike Albrecht, Caris LeVert, Max Bielfeldt, and the three new freshmen – Derrick Walton, Mark Donnal, and Zak Irvin.

Glenn Robinson III

The return of these two players, who are turning down potential fortunes in the NBA to prove that they are more than what we witnessed last season, keeps Michigan firmly within the top tier of college basketball teams.

Most fans not close to Michigan recruiting will fear the losses of Burke and Hardaway, and rightfully so. Losing the consensus national player of the year and the team’s 2nd leading scorer are substantial developments. Stepping into their roster spots as well as potentially their slots in the starting rotation will be Walton and Irvin.

Walton is a 6’0’’ point guard who is prolific on the offensive end of the floor. Sound familiar? There will be a drop off in efficiency from what Burke was able to do without question, but it won’t be as dramatic as you might expect. Walton is rated the #35 class of 2013 prospect by ESPNU. What launched Trey Burke into the class of truly elite was his undying work ethic. If Walton can tap into that commitment to excellence then all will be well.

The freshman point guard will pair with Irvin, a 6’6’’ scoring machine from Indy. Irvin is ranked #24 by ESPNU. The return of McGary and the addition of the 86th ranked Donnal (6’8’’, 225 lbs) will give Michigan their deepest frontcourt in years. Veterans Morgan, Horford, and Bielfeldt will also be in the mix.

This is the 2nd consecutive year that John Beilein has brought in three players ranked in the top 100.

Looking ahead to next season’s opening tip you will likely see a starting lineup like this:

PG – Derrick Walton

SG – Nik Stauskas

SF – Glenn Robinson III

PF – Mitch McGary

C – Jordan Morgan

It certainly wouldn’t be an upset if Irvin found his way into the starting lineup as Big Ten play heats up. Initially, the first guys off the bench will be Irvin, LeVert, Albrecht, Horford, and Donnal.

Despite the talent that remains, this isn’t a finished product for Beilein and his staff of assistants. They will not go to battle with 11 players total. Late recruiting (think LeVert and Albrecht from a year ago) and the potential for some walk-on type of players will represent the next round of buzz surrounding this team.

Early whispers are that Michigan will enter the 2013-14 season as a Top 10 team. Naysayers will point to Burke and Hardaway leaving and snicker at the notion. It won’t take long for them to realize how talented Walton and Irvin are though, and how committed McGary and Robinson remain.

This team is going to be a contender.

[Find out where Trey Burke ranks among Michigan's all-time best point guards. Click here.]

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Michigan Basketball players Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III announced on Thursday that they would both be returning for their sophomore seasons. Most mock drafts had the dynamic duo slated as mid-first round picks in June’s NBA Draft.

McGary was a revelation in the NCAA Tournament. After coming off the bench for all but two games during the regular season, he started all six games in the tournament and was a key reason why the Wolverines reached the final game. McGary averaged 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game during Michigan’s tournament run. He joined Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Webber as the only freshman to ever put up at least 80 points and 58 rebounds during the NCAA Tournament.

McGary lead the team in rebounding (6.3 per game) and blocks (28). He is a natural leader and a likely choice to serve as the team captain for the 2013-14 season.

Glenn Robinson III (Photo by Todd White/isportsweb)

Glenn Robinson III started all 39 games this past season and was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshmen team. He averaged 11 points and 5.4 boards per game, while shooting 57.2% from the field. Robinson is a sensational dunker and an elite athlete. Robinson, who did not miss a practice or game all year, was awarded the team’s Iron Man Award.

The return of both players is great news for Michigan, as they would have been down to 9 players on the roster had they elected to go pro. As it is, Michigan has just 11 players on the roster right now and might be looking to pick up a late 2013 recruit.

The sky is the limit for both of these guys and I can’t imagine how good they will be with a full off-season under the tutelage of John Beilein and Jon Sanderson, Michigan’s strength and conditioning coach.

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Michigan’s all-time best point guards

Tim Hardaway Jr to enter NBA Draft

Tim Hardaway Jr

On Wednesday afternoon, Michigan Basketball’s Tim Hardaway Jr announced he will forego his final season of eligibility and enter the NBA Draft. Hardaway was an All-Big Ten first-team selection and averaged 14.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Wolverines.

Hardaway is being projected as a late-first round early-second round pick in the draft. He becomes the 12th player in school history to leave early for the NBA. Hardaway made the following statement in a press release:

“After talking it over with my family, the coaching staff, and others in my support system, I have decided to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA,” said Hardaway. “I have appreciated everyone’s support and patience while I made this decision. It has always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA and I feel that I am ready to work toward this dream.

“There will be challenges ahead, but I am looking forward to what the future holds. I know with what I have learned about being a Michigan Man, I will be more than ready for this next phase in my life. This has been the greatest experience playing at Michigan and something I will never forget.

“I cannot thank Coach (John) Beilein, the coaching staff, my teammates, the basketball support staff, and the U-M administration enough for the opportunity they provided me to play at Michigan and the support they gave me along the way. More importantly, I want to thank the Wolverine nation. The positive support they have shown me and this program cannot be measured.”

Now Michigan fans anxiously await word from Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III.

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Trey Burke

Michigan Basketball’s Trey Burke will forego his final two years of eligibility and enter the NBA Draft. Burke was the unanmious selection for National Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. He is one of the greatest players in Michigan Basketball history and we will decide soon where he ranks on this list: Michigan’s all-time best point guards.

Burke will become the first Michigan player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft since Jamal Crawford in 2000.

“After talking it over with my family and coaching staff and weighing all my options,” Burke said in a statement released by Michigan.  ”I have decided to enter the NBA Draft. I feel that is the right decision for me and my future. It has been a dream of mine to play in the NBA, and I feel excited and well prepared to take that next step in my career.

“My time at Michigan has helped me grow tremendously as both a basketball player and as a person. I will always be grateful for the opportunity Coach Beilein and his staff gave me to wear the Maize and Blue. I have learned so much from this staff and this university about what is really important if you want to be successful in your future. I love the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor community, and it will always be a place I call home.”

Now we wait to hear word from Tim Hardaway Jr, Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III.

Here’s one of our favorite moments with Trey Burke. In Michigan’s victory over Arkansas this year, Burke picked up a technical for hanging on the rim. Joe White asked him about that.

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Michigan Basketball players and the NBA Draft

Trey Burke and his season for the ages

Michigan Basketball just capped off an outstanding season with a tough loss in the National Championship game. Now all eyes turn towards four Wolverines who are contemplating an early jump to the NBA.

Will they go or stay?

Trey Burke – sophomore – 6-foot, 190: The unanimous National Player of the Year and a consensus All-American, Burke had a season for the ages as he piloted the Wolverines to the national title game. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. Burke shot 46.3% from the field and led the nation with a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.

[Updated: It's official, Trey Burke is heading to the NBA]

What scouts love about him: He’s a smart player, who sees the court well. He knows when to shoot and when to set up a teammate. Burke is tough, disciplined and a true floor general.

What they don’t like: He is barely 6 feet tall. If he was 6-foot-4, he’d be the #1 pick in the draft.

Projected draft range: Top 10 pick

My guess: Burke will be playing in the NBA next season. He has nothing left to prove at the collegiate level and his stock will never be higher than it is now.

Tim Hardaway Jr – junior – 6-foot-6, 205: He was an All-Big Ten First-Team selection this year and averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Hardaway is a better defender than he generally gets credit for.

What scouts love about him: At 6-6, he has NBA length and he does a lot of things well. Hardaway can attack the basket, knock down three-balls, rebound and he is good in the open court.

What they don’t like: He can get ice cold shooting the ball and while he does a lot of things well, he doesn’t do any one thing great.

Projected draft range: Second round pick

My guess: I think Hardaway will make the jump to the NBA.

Mitch McGary – freshman – 6-foot-10, 250: He wasn’t on the draft radar prior to the NCAA Tournament. Then he got the starting assignment and became a tournament sensation. He posted three double-doubles and was a huge reason Michigan made it to the final game.

What scouts love about him: He is big, has a relentless motor and is a gifted athlete. McGary can run in the open court, is a great rebounder, can block shots and, as evidenced by his 6 assists against Syracuse in the Final Four, in the words of Boobie Miles Uncle LV in Friday Night Lights “and he can pass”.

What they don’t like: His game could use a little polishing and as mentioned above, he wasn’t even on the draft radar prior to the tournament.

Projected range: Lottery pick

My guess: I think it’s a toss up and if the next guy on this list, who is also McGary’s roommate,  comes back, I think he will return with him. However, it’s going to be awfully difficult to pass on being an almost surefire first round pick. With that being said, if McGary returns for his sophomore season he could end up being the #1 pick in the 2014 draft.

Glenn Robinson III – freshman – 6-foot-6, 210: Robinson III is a tremendous athlete and has an NBA pedigree. He averaged 11 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Robinson shot 57.2% from the field and dazzled with his highlight reel dunks.

What scouts love about him: He has an NBA body and just looks like a future star. He has elite athleticism and can shoot the rock.

What they don’t like: He is a little raw and sometimes struggles to get his shot.

Projected range: Middle of the first round

My guess: Of the 4 players listed here, I think he is the most likely to return. However, he is in the same boat as McGary and it will be tough to pass on being a lock to go in the first round.

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How the game was lost

Trey Burke

Powered by 17 points from Spike Albrecht, Michigan opened up a 12 point lead in the first half with three minutes left to play. Louisville countered with a 14-3 run that was keyed by four Luke Hancock triples. At the end of a fabulous first half Michigan held a 38-37 lead.

Michigan went on an 8-2 run to open the second half. Then Louisville took control and they were able to maintain a 4-5 point lead for most of the half. They stretched it out to their largest lead, 10 points, with 3:16 to play. Michigan kept fighting and had closed the gap to 78-74 with 50 seconds left. Peyton Siva missed a shot. Caris LeVert pulled down the rebound, but his momentum carried him just out of bounds. So instead of Michigan with the ball and a chance to close the lead to two or one point, the Cardinals maintained possession and two Luke Hancock free throws later they extended their lead to 80-74.

Michigan shot 52% from the field, compared to 46% for the Cardinals. In the end Louisville, led by the tournaments Most Outstanding Player – Luke Hancock, was able to capture the National Championship.

3 stars

1. Trey Burke was limited to 6 first half minutes because he picked up two quick fouls. He played all 20 minutes in the second half and finished with a game-high 24 points. He also had 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

2. Spike Albrecht was sensational in the first half with 17 points and 4-4 shooting from beyond the arc. He would not score in the second half, but it was his first half heroics that ignited the Wolverines early.

3. Glenn Robinson III finished with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and was 6-8 from the free throw line.

News and notes

Michigan scored 13 second-chance points in the first half, more than it has scored in 30 games this season.

Louisville had 9 steals in the game and won the turnover battle 9-12.

We now wait to find out which of Michigan’s players will jump early to the NBA. On the watch list are Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr, Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary.

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Here is a list of some of his achievements

Trey Burke (Photo by Todd White/isportsweb)

Trey Burke became the 5th consensus All-American in school history

Burke made a clean sweep of all the National Player of the Year awards. He has been named the Associated Press National Player of the Year Award, John R. Wooden Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy, and the Naismith College Player of the Year.

Burke is the first Michigan player to win the Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award.

Burke was named the South Regional’s Most Outstanding Player in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Burke was named the Big Ten Player of the Year.

Statistical achievements

Burke shattered the school single season assist record. With one game left this season he has dished out 257 assists.

Burke is averaging 5.0 assists per game over the course of his career. That ties him for best mark in school history (Gary Grant, Rumeal Robinson).

Burke is the only player in the Big Ten to have scored at least 15 points in every conference game this season.

Heading into the national championship game, Burke has scored 703 points this season. He is just the 8th player in school history to score over 700 points in a season.

Heading into the national championship game, Burke has recorded 62 steals this season and is just the 8th Wolverine to notch over 60 steals in a season.

Burke ranks 7th in Michigan history with 421 career assists.

This season, Burke became just the seventh U-M sophomore to eclipse 1,000 career points.

Big moments

The Shot

Burke has come up big in some key moments for Michigan this year.

After being held scoreless in the first half of a Sweet 16 game against Kansas, Burke scored 23 points in the second half and overtime. His 30 foot shot to send the game into overtime was an instant tournament classic.

In the regional final against Florida, Burke scored 15 points, corralled a career-best eight rebounds, dished out seven assists and notched three steals .

Mitch McGary

Their Paths

Michigan has now rolled through a 13-seed in South Dakota State, 5-seed VCU, 1-seed Kansas, 3-seeded Florida, and the 4-seed out of the East in Syracuse [recap here]. They will have to knock off their 2nd 1-seed in Louisville to claim what would be just the school’s 2nd ever national championship.

Rick Pitino’s team, the #1 overall seed in the tournament has won their 5 games by an average margin of victory of 18.2 points per game. Their closest battles came on Saturday night with a come from behind 4-point win against a tough Wichita State team and a Sweet 16 matchup versus Oregon, an 8-point win. They started their run by dismantling North Carolina A&T and Colorado State. In between the Oregon and Wichita State battles was a 22-point blowout of Duke in the Elite 8.

Their Strengths

Michigan

• Michigan is often a team that goes as their starting 5 goes. On Saturday night it was their bench that stepped up big time, proving that this team does indeed have some depth. The combination of Caris LeVert, Spike Albrecht, Jon Horford, and Jordan Morgan accounted for 21 of Michigan’s 61 points on a night that saw Player of the Year Trey Burke make just one field goal on his way to seven points.
• In this tournament, Michigan has faced a wide variety of teams, including VCU’s Havoc defense, Kansas’ athletic unit with big man Jeff Withey blocking shots down low, and Syracuse’s legendary zone. John Beilein has moved his chess pieces around just right to conquer all comers. Beilein has been locked in since the tourney started and needs just one more gem to churn out his first ever NCAA championship.
• Mitch McGary has been the story of the tournament. He posted his 3rd double-double in the five game run against Syracuse while handing out a career-high six assists. He is a true game-changing presence on the court.
• Trey Burke has been awfully special as a sophomore. Monday night will be his last game as a Wolverine and he will want it to be a memorable one. He’s the best player on the court and that provides Michigan great comfort.

Louisville

• The Cardinals are a deep and athletic team who can receive contributions from a wide variety of players. Rick Pitino will use 9 players with confidence in his attempt to become the 1st NCAA coach to win a championship at two different schools.
• Louisville will play a somewhat similar style of intense, in-your-face defense as VCU does. The difference is that Pitino’s players are more highly skilled and the roster is full of quick guards, athletic swingmen, and big bodies. They are loaded.
• The freak leg injury to Kevin Ware is certainly going to receive a lot of continued media exposure as Louisville has become the sentimental favorite across the nation in support of Ware. Michigan won’t mind playing the role of spoiler.

Russ Smith

Key Matchups

1. Mitch McGary v. Gorgui Dieng – Against Syracuse, McGary was the biggest guy on the court. That won’t be the case against the Cardinals as the 6’11”, 245 pound Dieng is sure to make life a little more difficult. Dieng can also get some help from fellow big men Chane Behanen (6’6”, 250 lbs.) and Stephan Van Treese (6’9”, 245 lbs.). McGary’s seemingly unstoppable motor will be put to the test against Louisville’s lineup.

2. Trey Burke v. Louisville’s pressure defense – No team in America forced more turnovers than Louisville’s 718 this year. Michigan only turned the ball over 356 times on the season compared to 486 for the Cardinals. The turnover battle will be a key factor in this one. If Michigan gets loose with the ball as some of their wing players can on occasion then it could spell trouble.

3. Michigan’s defense v. Peyton Siva and Russ Smith – Smith has already poured in 125 points during his 5-game tourney run. He checks in at 6’1” while fellow starter Siva is just 6’0”. Burke is the only starter of similar size that Beilein trots out. Glenn Robinson III, Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Nik Stauskas all check in at 6’6”. Beilein will have to find a way to turn this into an advantage for Michigan. The Wolverines have had trouble guarding in one-on-one situations off the dribble against good athletes. Louisville is full of such players. Help defense for Michigan will be critical. If they turn in a poor performance in terms of defensive intensity they might see this one slip away.

Expectations

As both games were on Saturday night, this one should be another thriller. I think Michigan matches up better against a more wide-open team like Louisville than a grinder like Syracuse. See the VCU game for recent evidence of this fact. Michigan is deadly when they can get out in transition. With solid 3-point shooting the Wolverines have knockout punch ability but the Cardinals are as good as it gets in college hoops.

It would be nice to see Michigan get to the foul line early and knock a few freebies down to build confidence for some probable big moments at the end of the game. Rumeal Robinson clinched Michigan’s one and only crown with two free throws in the final seconds v. Seton Hall. Someone might have to step up in that exact same way this time around.

The special feeling that Michigan’s tourney run has had is very similar to what I’ve witnessed with Louisville. If Michigan can get enough stops on defense against a team that doesn’t shoot particularly well then banner #2 will be hung at Crisler Center next fall. Athletic Director Dave Brandon might as well call the embroiderer because that 1989 banner is about to have company.

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How the game was won

Mitch McGary

All week long we heard about Syracuse and their vaunted zone defense. Michigan had the answer in the form of tournament sensation Mitch McGary. The freshman big man was like Godzilla in the middle of the zone defense, the Orange defenders were helpless against him as he dished, drove, dunked and blocked his way to a fifth consecutive masterpiece performance in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

To be fair, Syracuse’s zone had been tremendous through four games of the tournament as they held the opposition to 29% from the field and a paltry 15% from beyond the arc. The Orange also tightened up  their defense in the second half and slowly chipped away at Michigan’s lead.

10 key moments on the road to the Final Four

They were able to trim U-M’s lead down to 45-41 with 11:00 minutes to play. During the Orange run, Michigan went 4:30 without scoring before Tim Hardaway Jr ended the drought with a much needed triple. Michigan got key buckets from McGary and Glenn Robinson III to stretch the lead back out to 53-45 with under 4 minutes to play in the game.

Late in the game, Hardaway Jr made two clutch free throws and on the ensuing possession he fouled out Michael Carter-Williams by drawing an offensive foul.

Michigan missed 4 free throws in the final minute to make it a really stressful finish. The Wolverines had a 59-56 lead with 11 seconds left. Syracuse turned to Trevor Cooney to drive, he missed the shot, Hardaway grabbed the rebound and before he fell out of bounds he managed to flip the ball to LeVert, who found a streaking Jordan Morgan. Morgan, who had fouled out Brandon Triche just moments earlier, then put an exclamation point on Michigan’s victory with a thunderous dunk.

3 stars

1. Mitch McGary notched his third double-double of the tournament and keyed Michigan’s dismantling of the Syracuse zone in the first half. He also dished out a career-high 6 assists and blocked two shots. McGary finished with 10 points and 12 boards. “He was really good,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the game.

2. Tim Hardaway Jr. led Michigan with 13 points. He also grabbed 6 rebounds and handed out 5 assists. Hardaway Jr game up huge in the game’s final moments. He drained two clutch free throws with 1:19 left to play. He fouled out Michael Carter-Williams. He preserved a key possession with 28 seconds left when he saved a Trey Burke pass from going out of bounds. Burke would connect on 1-2 free throws to cap the possession. Then on Syracuse’s final shot, it was Hardaway who pulled down the rebound.

3. Glenn Robinson III finished with 10 points and 6 boards on 5-7 shooting. He came up with big plays when Michigan needed them.

News and notes

Caris LeVert and Spike Albrecht both came off the bench and knocked down two first half triples.

Michigan had 21 bench points.

The Wolverines had 17 assists on 21 made field goals.

Michigan has won six consecutive national semi-final games.

This will be Michigan’s sixth appearance in the national championship game (1965, ’76, ’89, ’92, ’93 and 2013).

Next

Michigan will play Louisville on Monday night for the National Championship. Tip off is scheduled for 9:20pm

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Now that you know the who and when, it’s time to dig into this matchup. For the first time in NCAA tournament history, two #4 seeds will square off.

The Shot

Their Paths

Michigan started their tourney run by skinning the 13-seed SDSU Jackrabbits and blowing past #5 VCU. Michigan then put everyone on notice with a stirring comeback in the Sweet 16 against 1-seed Kansas. Michigan trailed by double-digits late in the game, fought back to force overtime, and eventually upended the Jayhawks. There was no looking back two days later as Michigan roughed up a helpless Florida Gators (3 seed) team, 79-59.

[Click here to see Michigan's Top 10 moments on their way to the Final Four]

Syracuse has faced a very similar road to the Final Four. They kicked things off by demoralizing the 13-seeded Montana Grizzlies. In the round of 32, the Orange nipped 12-seed Cal by a final of 66-60, which would prove to be their most difficult matchup so far. In the Sweet 16, Jim Boeheim’s vaunted zone defense suffocated the #1 seeded Indiana Hoosiers on their way to an 11-point victory. Syracuse punched their ticket to Atlanta by taking out Big East rival Marquette (3 seed) in the Elite 8, 55-39.

Their Strengths

Michigan:

• The Wolverines have gone as Trey Burke and Mitch McGary have gone in this tournament. Offensively, Michigan has the type of attack that can overcome Syracuse’s defensive scheme. McGary’s presence on the glass has helped Michigan put up consistently strong rebounding performances throughout their tournament run.
• Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas have had moments of impressive offensive contributions throughout the tournament. Having either one of these guys get hot against Syracuse would be a huge lift.
• Tim Hardaway, Jr. has had a decent but unspectacular tournament. He hasn’t shot the ball well since the VCU game (7-24 overall and 2-8 from deep). When TH2 is hot, Michigan is a very difficult team to stop.
• Defensively, Michigan has played better of late, particularly against VCU and Florida. The first half against Kansas brought back memories of some of the disappointing moments from the 2nd half of the Big 10 season. Michigan has to avoid a defensive letdown of any significant stretch of time to make it to Monday.

Syracuse:

• Syracuse ranked 20th in the nation in rebounding and turnover margin throughout the year. They win games by frustrating their opponent into mistakes and making up for their less than spectacular offense by creating 2nd chance opportunities.
• Syracuse’s offense is led by four players that averaged in double-digits throughout the year. CJ Fair led the way at 14.3 ppg followed by senior Brandon Triche at 13.7. James Southerland poured in 13.5 while sophomore standout Michael Carter-Williams averaged 12.1 per game.
• Syracuse is a team of athletic swingmen, which is exactly the kind of team that has given Michigan fits over the past several seasons, this one included. They will attack the interior of Michigan’s defense and try to break Stauskas and Robinson down off the dribble at every opportunity.

CJ Fair

Key Matchups

1. Trey Burke v. the Syracuse zone – Watching Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell try to penetrate this zone defense was not pretty. Burke is clearly superior to any other point guard in the nation and should be well equipped to find the soft spots and set up his shooters for open 3’s and McGary for more wide open layups. If Burke gets rattled into some early turnovers, Michigan will be worried.
2. Mitch McGary v. Syracuse’s swingmen – DaJuan Coleman is the only Orange player who can come close to matching up with McGary’s beef down low. The problem is he only plays 12 minutes per game. Boeheim will be relying on his skinny wing players to disrupt the havoc McGary has been wreaking since the SDSU game. John Beilein has to be licking his chops.
3. Syracuse’s swingmen v. Hardaway/Robinson/Stauskas – While Syracuse will feature a zone, Michigan will go almost exclusively man-to-man. Hardaway has held his own on the defensive end of the floor this year. Robinson has made some steals but in one-on-one situations has struggled. And Stauskas has been ineffective all year long on ‘d’. If Syracuse can take free run at the rim all game long and finish with efficiency, which is very probable, this should be a battle from the opening tip.

Expectation

This should be a doozy. Michigan is playing for a chance to raise just their 2nd National Championship banner in school history (1989). Syracuse has executed their game plan flawlessly throughout the tourney. Trey Burke seems to be putting the finishing touches on a magical season.

To me, that’s the difference. If I see one guy who has the ability to prevent his team from losing, it’s Burke. He will not go down without a fight. Expect Michigan to do just enough from the perimeter to pull out a tight one.

[Michigan's Top 10 moments]

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The shot

Michigan Basketball has enjoyed a historic season. It started with a preseason NIT championship, a school record 16 straight wins to begin the season and an incredible NCAA Tournament run. Here are 10 key moments that helped propel Michigan to the Final Four.

10. Late game misery: All teams will face adversity and Michigan had more than their fair share of it this season. In a loss at Ohio State, Trey Burke’s potential game-tying three at the buzzer was halfway down and inexplicably rimmed out. At Wisconsin, Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a clutch triple with 2.4 seconds left to play, giving Michigan a 60-57 lead. The Badgers responded by perfectly executing a hail mary play as Ben Brust drained a 40-footer to send the game to overtime, where Wisconsin would eventually win. Perhaps the most heartbreaking moment came in the regular season finale, with a share of the Big Ten title on the line. With 13 seconds left to play Cody Zeller scored to put the Hoosiers up 72-71. Michigan had the ball and a chance to win the game. Trey Burke drove to the hoop and put up a shot that just missed. Jordan Morgan, who was in perfect position, tipped back the missed shot. It bounced off the glass and looked like it was heading for the bottom of the net when it hit the front of the rim and agonizingly rolled off. All the heartache seemed to strengthen Michigan’s resolve as they began their quest for the NCAA Championship.

9. Second half surge: On February 24th, Michigan trailed Illinois at the half 31-28. The Wolverines completely dominated the second half, outscoring the Illini 43-27. Michigan shot 54.2% from the field and held Illinois to 40.9% and to 3 of 10 from long range. Coming into this game, Michigan had lost 3 of their last 5 and the Wolverines were struggling with their confidence and consistency. This second half surge helped revive the Wolverines down the home stretch of the regular season.

8. Trey Burke sparks a run: In Michigan’s third round game against VCU, the Rams had gone on a run to pull within one point at 18-17 with 10:40 to play in the first half. Trey Burke knocked down a a jumper that ignited a 14-2 run during which VCU would not score for nearly five minutes. That run propelled Michigan to a 38-23 halftime lead and the Wolverines would never look back as they drubbed the Rams by a final score of 78-53 and punched their ticket to the Sweet 16.

7. Preseason NIT Champs: After opening the season with easy victories over Slippery Rock, IUPUI and Cleveland State, Michigan faced a big early challenge in the NIT semifinals and finals when they played Pittsburgh and Kansas State. The Wolverines rolled past both teams and claimed the preseason NIT Championship. This was the first sign that this team was going to be something special.

6. Hardaway rains threes on Ohio State: Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a game-high 23 points and knocked down a career high 6 three-pointers to help Michigan defeat Ohio State. Hardaway was 5-5 from three-point range in the second half.

5. The Block: As mentioned above Tim Hardaway Jr. came up big with his three-point shooting in a victory over Ohio State. With Michigan leading 76-74 in overtime, Aaron Craft drove into the lane for a potential game-tying shot as time expired. Instead of sending the game into double OT, Craft’s shot was rejected by Hardaway Jr, securing a key victory for Michigan.

4. 6-for-6: In an Elite Eight matchup against Florida, Nik Stauskas was on fire from beyond the arc. The freshman was 5-5 from three-point land in the first half to help Michigan bury the Gators early. Then in the early moments of the second half, when Florida went on a 6-0 run and looked like they might make a game of it, Stauskas drained his sixth triple of the game to end the Gators rally and spark a 9-2 Michigan run. The Wolverines never looked back and rolled past Florida and into their first Final Four since 1993. Stauskas finished the game a perfect 6-for-6 from downtown and scored a game-high 22 points.

3. The Start: During the regular season Mitch McGary averaged 17.4 minutes of playing time per game and started twice. When Michigan opened the 2013 NCAA Tournament against South Dakota State, John Beilein decided to insert McGary into the starting five. The freshman big man responded with 13 points and 9 rebounds in 25 minutes of action. For an encore against VCU, McGary erupted with 21 points and 14 rebounds in 34 minutes. Next up was a Sweet 16 matchup against Kansas and their 7-foot big man, Jeff Withey. McGary outplayed Withey and made history with his 25 point, 14 rebound performance. McGary joined Blake Griffin (2009) as the only players in the last 15 seasons with consecutive games of 21+ points and 14+ rebounds in tournament play. In Michigan’s Final Four clinching victory over Florida, McGary scored 11 points and pulled down 9 boards. Through 4 games of the NCAA Tournament, McGary is averaging 17.5 points and 11.5 rebounds.

2. The Steal: On March 3rd Michigan hosted Michigan State and was trailing 57-56 with 20 seconds left. The Spartans had the ball and were looking to ice the game with a late bucket. As Keith Appling was getting ready to run a play for Michigan State, Trey Burke picked his pocket and threw down a dunk at the other end of the court to give the Wolverines a 58-57 lead. The Spartans had one last chance for a desperation shot, but Burke thwarted that when he stole the ball, again, to secure a victory for Michigan.

1. The Shot: In a Sweet 16 game against Kansas, Michigan trailed by 14 points with 7 minutes left to play, they were down 11 with 3:47 left to play and it appeared that the Jayhawks were going to send them packing. Michigan fought back, but still trailed by 5 with 21 seconds left to play. Then with 14 seconds left, Trey Burke made a layup to cut the deficit to 3 at 76-73. Elijah Johnson missed the front end of a one-and-one and Tim Hardaway Jr. pulled down the rebound. Trey Burke brought the ball up court and with 5 seconds left to play, Burke pulled up from 30 feet away and hit a historic three-pointer to tie the game. Michigan would go on to win in overtime as Burke finished the game with 23 points and 10 assists. He became just the fifth player in NCAA tournament history to score at least 20 points and dish out at least 10 assists in a Sweet 16 game. You can watch the video of Burke’s shot here: Trey Burke with a shot for the ages.

So there you have it, 10 key moments on the road to the Final Four. Did we miss something? If so let us know in the comments below.

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Michigan Basketball advanced to the Final Four with a 79-59 win over the Florida Gators on Easter Sunday. The Wolverines did the Gators in with a balanced and efficient offensive attack.

How the game was won

Michigan played a near flawless first half fueled by 19 points from Nik Stauskas, who was 5-5 from three-point range. The Wolverines shot 51.4% from the field, 63.6% from beyond the arc and took a 47-30 lead into halftime. In short, they demoralized the Gators.

Florida opened the second half on a 6-0 run and that was the only time they seriously threatened. It was a short-lived threat, Nik Stauskas ensured that when he canned his sixth triple of the game, igniting a 9-2 U-M run. From that point on Michigan was able to keep the Gators at bay. There were a couple of moments when Florida was close to cutting the lead down to 10 points, but Michigan always had the answer.

With 1:48 left to play and Michigan leading 76-54, John Beilein emptied his bench and the Wolverines had clinched a trip to their first Final Four since 1993. Matt Vogrich put the icing on the cake when he drained a three-pointer to put Michigan up 79-54.

The way Michigan so thoroughly dominated the game, it was almost anti-climatic. however, there’s nothing anti-climatic about making it to the Final Four. “It feels really good,” Trey Burke told Craig Sager after the game.

3 Stars

Nik Stauskas

1. Nik Stauskas was the key to Michigan’s first half by scorching the nets from beyond the arc. He ended up going 5-5 from deep in the opening stanza and with each made three, the Wolverines confidence grew. Stauskas also hit a key triple early in the second half to thwart a Florida rally and propel the Wolverines to an easy victory. He finished the game with 22 points and was 6-6 from three-point land.

2. Trey Burke finished the game with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and just one turnover. He was a steady hand against what is normally a good Florida defense.

3. Mitch McGary continued his incredible tournament run with 11 points, 9 boards and 5 steals.

News and Notes

Michigan notched 9 second half steals and 13 for the game.

Spike Albrecht provided a jolt off the bench for the Wolverines with 7 points and 4 steals.

Florida came into the game giving up just 53.7 points per game and holding the opposition to 37.9 field goal percentage and 30.3 from three-point range.

Michigan shot 46.2% from the field and 52.6% from beyond the arc.

Michigan finished the game 10-19 from beyond the arc.

Michigan won the turnover battle 15-9.

Up Next

Michigan will play Syracuse in the Final Four on Saturday.

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Michigan advanced to the Elite Eight with a remarkable comeback win against Kansas on Friday night. The Jayhawks led by 14-points with 6:50 left in the second half, it was their largest lead of the game. Michigan outscored Kansas 33-17 in the final 11:30 of the game. During this stretch, Trey Burke had 15 points, while the Jayhawks had as many turnovers (5) as field goals.

[Michigan readies for Florida]

Michigan was down 10 with 2:22 left to play and it seemed likely that we were watching the end of Trey Burke’s Michigan career. Only the National Player of the Year, is there any debate left on this topic, had a trip to the Elite Eight on his mind.

Here is a rundown on some of the key moments

Trey Burke hounded Elijah Johnson as he brought the ball up court and forced a rare 10 second violation

Glenn Robinson III with the dunk

Glenn Robinson III stole the ball and threw down a dunk to cut the Jayahawks lead to 10 at 72-62

Burke sliced through the Kansas defense and fed Mitch McGary for a layup that pulled Michigan within 72-66

With 1:12 left to play, Burke knocked down a three pointer to pull the Wolverines even closer at 74-69

With 14 seconds left Burke went straight to the basket and hit a layup cut the Kansas to 76-73

Elijah Johnson missed the front end of a one and one, Tim Hardaway Jr corralled the rebound and immediately got the ball to Burke

Burke raced up court, wove around a Mitch McGary screen and from 28 feet away, hit a shot that will live in infamy. Tie game. Watch the video here

The shot

Naadir Tharpe missed what was a good look at a game winning three-pointer. The game moved into OT

Burke hit a another deep three to open the scoring in overtime

Burke hit a step back jumper from 19 feet over the top of Ben McLemore

McGary pulled down an offensive rebound and banked in shot to give Michigan an 85-82 lead. Video here

Glenn Robinson III with another steal. He was fouled immediately and then drained two big free throws that stretched Michigan’s lead to 87-82

Tharpe launched a triple at the buzzer that bounced high off the glass and eventually clanked off rim, Michigan wins!

Here is the team in the locker room after the game: MGoBlue.com

Stats

Just how remarkable were the performances by Trey Burke (23 points, 10 assists) and Mitch McGary (25 points, 14 rebounds)? Here is a closer look at the numbers courtesy of espn stats.

Trey Burke and Mitch McGary became just the 4th pair of teammates to record a 20-point, 10-assists game and a 25-point, 10-rebound game in the same NCAA Tournament contest.

Mitch McGary and Blake Griffin (2009) are the only players in the last 15 seasons with consecutive games of 21+ points and 14+ rebounds in the Men’s Basketball Championship. He is just the 6th player since seeding began in 1979 to have two such games in a single Men’s Basketball Championship.

Trey Burke is the fifth player to score at least 20 points and dish out at least 10 assists in a Sweet 16 game.

Trey Burke is the first Michigan player with at least 10 assists in an NCAA Tournament game since Jalen Rose in 1992.

Mitch McGary is the first Wolverine with two double-doubles in the same NCAA Tournament since Robert Traylor in 1998.

Michigan will play Florida on Sunday with a trip to the Final Four in the balance. Tip is scheduled for 2:20 (EST).

Random thoughts

I wonder what Jeff Withey thinks about Mitch McGary now.

Glenn Robinson III is the unsung hero of the Kansas game. He scored 13 points, pulled down 8 rebounds (5 offensive) and notched 3 steals.

All five of Michigan’s starters reached double-digits in scoring.

So far in the NCAA Tournament Mitch McGary is averaging 19.7 points and 12.3 rebounds.

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So far Michigan has worked their way through the 13th seeded South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 5-seed VCU, and now #1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks with an 87-85 overtime thriller on Friday night. Florida has plowed through Northwestern State (14), Minnesota (11), and Florida Gulf Coast (15). Obviously their competition will be a little stiffer this time around.

[Key moments from Michigan's win over Kansas]

With so much left to play for, so much has already come to light. When reflecting on last night’s ferocious comeback in regulation and the subsequent overtime win, a lot of things come to mind.

• Mitch McGary’s playing time was spared throughout the season by John Beilein. The trustworthy coach has turned the big fella loose in the tourney and it is paying huge dividends. Consider that Mitch McGary & Blake Griffin (2009) are the only players in the last 15 seasons with consecutive games of 21+ points and 14+ rebounds in tournament play.
• Trey Burke’s heroics have erased any distant questioning as to whether he returns to Michigan next year. He’s gone and it’s up to us to enjoy the rest of the ride. The last player to score over 20 points and hand out 10 assists in a Sweet 16 game was Billy Donovan, Florida’s current coach. At one point last night Burke was 4-14 from the field and 1-8 from three. He made 5 of his last 7 shots and all of his final 3 three point attempts.
• Even with Burke leaving next year, if guys like Tim Hardaway, Jr., Glenn Robinson III, and Mitch McGary make the smart decisions to return to Ann Arbor, Michigan is probably the preseason #1 team in America.
• Burke’s 3-pointer might’ve been this year’s version of the Sean Higgins put-back during the 1989 Final 4 matchup with Illinois that eventually propelled Michigan to their National Championship. Sometimes it takes a breakthrough shot and Burke drilled it.
• And finally, last night reminded me of how passionate college basketball still is. Having just retrieved my laptop from the repair shop (broken after Ben McLemore banked in a three and I took out some frustration on an unsuspecting piece of machinery), and actually falling to the floor in despair more than once during the game, I was brought back to what it was like to watch sports as a kid. And you know what? It was a lot of fun. I wonder will that game will rank on this list.

Mitch McGary is on a roll

And now Michigan turns all of their attention toward beating a deep and talented Florida roster. Florida is a strong defensive team and can hurt opponents both inside and out with their offense.

Florida features three guys 6’3’’ and under that all play about 30 minutes per game. As a result, Michigan will have the size advantage with their lengthy guard/forwards Robinson, Hardaway, and Nik Stauskas.

Michigan will try to attack from the inside out. Look for Stauskas and Hardaway to try to create action off the dribble and Burke will be carving into the underbelly of the Gator defense all afternoon trying to set up his teammates for open looks.

Florida doesn’t mind an up-tempo game but my hunch is that they will try to grind the pace down a bit and make Michigan work hard for their buckets. Defensively, you can be sure that Donovan took note of Michigan’s complete inability to shut down the driving attack that Kansas put on display Friday night against the Wolverines. The Jayhawks scored 60 points in the paint. With Florida being a shorter team and their bigs not overly athletic, Michigan should fare better in that department this time around.

Key matchups:

Burke v. Scottie Wilbekin – Wilbekin will more than likely be tasked with covering Burke for most of the game while getting help from Kenny Boynton. Wilbekin has a few inches on Burke but Trey has the muscle and is obviously the more talented player. Look for Trey to get off to a better start with his shooting and to put up another vintage performance. Wilbekin will struggle with Burke’s physicality.

Mitch McGary v. Patric Young – Young is a 6’9’’, 249 pound beast who averaged 10 points and 6 boards throughout the season. What he’s going up against though is the hottest big man in the country. McGary is on a roll right now and should have an even easier time against a shorter Florida front line than what he dealt with in Kansas’ Jeff Withey.

The feeling here at isportsweb.com is that Michigan is on their way to the Final Four. With the added contributions of McGary and the elite play of Burke, Michigan definitely has enough offensively to get the job done. If their defense can rally together and help off the ball as needed then the next stop will be Atlanta.

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John Beilein’s team came roaring back on the strength of heroic performances by Burke and Mitch McGary and stole an 87-85 win to advance to the Elite 8.

Trey Burke

Why They Won

They didn’t quit. So many times this year Michigan would fall behind by double digits, bust their butts to draw close, yet fail in the end. They saved their complete comeback for the sweetest of times.

The Wolverines trailed by 10 with under 3 minutes to go and by 5 with about 20 seconds on the clock. It didn’t matter. “If we were going to go out, we were going to go out fighting,” were the words of Tim Hardaway, Jr. after the game.

With Michigan trailing by 3 in the waning seconds, they fouled Kansas guard Elijah Johnson. The same Johnson who popped McGary in the nether-region early in the game. Johnson obliged by missing the front end of a 1-and-1, setting the stage for Burke’s most heroic moment.

[Michigan vs Florida preview]

Remember Arkansas last year, Ohio State this year, and Wisconsin this year? Burke came up short with long jumpers at the end of the game in critical situations. Tonight, he drilled a 35-footer at the end of regulation to tie the game and force overtime. It was worth the wait.

Armed with fresh momentum, Michigan did just enough to hold on in overtime as Naadir Tharpe’s desperation 3-pointer glanced off the rim, ending the #1 seeded Jayhawks’ season.

All 23 of Burke’s points came in the 2^nd half and overtime but it was McGary’s performance that kept Michigan from getting blown out of Dallas. The freshman sensation has saved his best run of the season for the tourney. He turned in yet another double-double with 25 points and 14 rebounds while going toe-to-toe with one of the most intimidating big men in the country – Jeff Withey.

Throughout the game, Kansas absolutely demoralized Michigan in the paint. A series of slashing Jayhawks combined with Withey and Perry Ellis down low were far too much for a Michigan team that was a step slow most of the night and played without the swagger that sometimes makes them special.

[Key moments from Michigan's win over Kansas]

To make matters worse, Kansas’ star Ben McLemore regained his touch and led KU with 20 points, pacing 5 Jayhawks in double-digits.

But in the game’s final minutes, the swagger returned with gusto and none of the above mattered. It was Trey and Mitch’s time.

Michigan’s 3 Stars

1. Mitch McGary – McGary was easily Michigan’s most valuable player tonight. He poured in yet another double-double despite Withey’s presence in the paint. On top of his 25 points and 14 boards he added 3 steals and a block. Without his performance, Trey Burke never has a chance to play hero.
2. Trey Burke – For a long time tonight it looked as if Burke might be fading off into the sunset with another disappointing loss in the tournament. That was not to be his final script. Burke hit every big shot Michigan needed down the stretch and literally carried the team to victory.
3. Glenn Robinson III – GR3 stayed hot in the tourney with 13 points and 8 boards, including a huge scrambling, reverse layup late in regulation that pulled Michigan within 3 late. Robinson added 3 steals and hit some big free throws late in the game.

News and Notes

-       Michigan played with fire at the free throw line by going just 9-17 on the night but somehow overcame it. They might not be so fortunate next time.

-       The Wolverines out-rebounded Kansas 38-35.

-       60 of Kansas’ 85 points came in the paint.

-       Michigan won the turnover battle 10-13.

Up Next

Michigan will play the Florida v. Florida Gulf Coast winner on Sunday afternoon.

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