Michigan 58, Florida State 54, West Region Champions
Champions of the West. [Patrick Barron/MGoBlog]
Say it again, Dana Jacobson. Say it again and again, everyone.
Michigan is going to the Final Four. John Beilein, the true king of Ann Arbor, is one victory—against, of all teams, 11-seed Loyola—away from his second championship game in six years and an opportunity for the program's first national title since 1989.
The Wolverines got there in a most un-Beilein way. This was not Thursday, when they rained fire on Texas A&M. This is what many fans feared Thursday would look like, as a very large, athletic Florida State squad held Michigan well under a point per possession. Michigan, meanwhile, couldn't hit a three-pointer, going an appalling 4-for-22 from beyond the arc. Any past Beilein team would've lost this game.
But not this one. For as good as FSU's defense played, Michigan's was a cut above. The Seminoles had one more field goal (16) than turnovers committed (15). They kept a transition-reliant FSU scoreless on fast breaks; the Wolverines scored 12 in transition because of live-ball turnovers. That, above all, made the difference in a game featuring great halfcourt defense and ugly shooting.
"I've never seen a team work so hard and be so connected on both ends of the floor, even when things do not go right on the offensive end," said Beilein. "They were exceptional on defense. We had that string of plays where Moe was wide open, Charles is wide open, Duncan was wide open, and they didn't go down and sulk at the other end. They ended up just playing better defense so that we could win the game."
Charles Matthews surprised a lot of people tonight. [Barron]
Michigan's heroes weren't the ones you would've expected a month or two ago. Charles Matthews scored M's first points on an and-one dunk, flashed a rare smile, and proceeded to carry the offense through some truly ugly stretches. Using strong drives, sharp pivots, and tough finishes, Matthews finished with a game-high 17 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, a steal, and only one turnover.
"It was special," he said. "Last year all I used to hear in practice was turnover Matthews, turnover Matthews. And go see 212, that's when I have to run up to the top of the bleachers. But I stayed with it. Coach stayed on me. He continued to believe in me, and that continued to help my confidence grow. My teammates believe in me, and I believe in them. So it's just been a special feeling."
Zavier Simpson set the tone early, as well, when he ripped the ball away from FSU's Terance Mann as a parent would take a toy from an unruly child. While the stat line is packed—nine points on 4/8 shooting, three boards, five assists, one turnover, three steals—it doesn't do justice to Simpson's masterful control over the game. On a normal Michigan shooting night, Simpson threatens double-digit assists. Meanwhile, he hit a couple huge shots late and played his usual superlative defense. The two Seminole point guards, Trent Forrest and CJ Walker, combined to go 1-for-9 from the field with five turnovers.
Nobody else, though, could find any consistency on offense. Moe Wagner had an especially brutal outing, failing to hit a field goal in the first half before finishing with 11 points on 15 shot equivalents. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman needed ten shot equivalents to net his nine points. Duncan Robinson didn't make his first three-pointer until 2:25 remained, when his corner triple gave the Wolverines a seemingly insurmountable ten-point lead.
Florida State nearly surmounted it. Free throws, that familiar bugaboo, nearly cost Michigan dearly this time, as Simpson and MAAR went on a 2-for-5 stretch that included missing the front end of two one-and-ones to allow FSU to pull within a single possession twice. After Phil Cofer's putback got the 'Noles cut the margin to two, however, Robinson calmly sunk two free throws. PJ Savoy missed a wild, contested three-pointer with 13 seconds to play, Robinson grabbed the rebound, and for reasons unbeknownst to everyone other than Leonard Hamilton, Robinson was allowed to dribble out the clock.
"We knew they were going to make a run," said Abdur-Rahkman. "We each had to weather the storm and get stops when we needed it. And I think that's what we did."
Michigan is going to the Final Four—say it again—because they got stops. What a team. What a coaching staff. What a world.
[Hit THE JUMP for more photos and the box score.]
All photos by Patrick Barron.
i will say this, with a couple minutes to go in the first half there was a maar tie up with the ball. it went to fla st. we had all of our TOs. all the players should have called TO but didn't. then at the end of the half we had the last shot. JB typially calls To to set up a play. he didn't. Mo missed the wide open 3. we lost the TO going into the half. we should have callled the To on the tie up but didn't. lost possesion there.
The ball actually went to Michigan -- but then FSU got the ball to start the second half as a result. (FSU won the tip, so Michigan got the arrow).
I believe Rahkman was trying to call the timeout, but the official deemed he wasn't in possession of the ball. I was certainly trying to call timeout, but (a) I don't think the ref heard me, and (b) I don't think mine counted. ;) If Rahkman wasn't in possession, none of the other players could have called timeout either, but they all should have been trying.
As for the pre-half timeout, Beilein has said in the past that if he likes the matchup on the floor, he'll let the players run the play without a timeout -- that would have given FSU a chance to regroup and to change personnel. I'm pretty sure he's eschewed the timeout at least one other time in the tourney, if not twice.
Honestly, Beilein couldn't have drawn up a better play than an open 3 for the team's leading three-point shooter. Wagner had a bad game shooting, but the only way to turn a bad day into a good day is to keep shooting. :) It just didn't go down.
Having a timeout at the end of the game is of paramount importance. Just think of the Houston game (or another game . . . er, don't think about that one). You've absolutely got to have one in your back pocket for end-of-game situations. I'm OK with waiting for the media timeout earlier as a tradeoff.
Loved it... woke up at 1:45am in France, espresso, load up a choppy stream on ncaa.com, sat back in a quiet house and it was all so worth it! Also a shout out to my wife for taking kid duty this morning while I got a couple hours of sleep in...not to mention the clocks rolled forward over here last night. Go BLEU!!!
Best humblebrag ever? I think so. +1 to you, you lucky dog (France + a wife like that).
Kidding. Props to you, Frenchy!
March 25th, 2018 at 10:35 PM ^
What a team. I don't think are many in the country that can rain in 99 one night and then come back and win a slugfest/defensive battle like this one by scoring only 58 pts. These boys know how to win games. When Robinson hit that three with a 2:23 to go to put them up by 10, it felt larger than the 20+ lead against A&M. Every single point in this game was like gold.
On another note Vegasinsider has us as a 6 pt favorite over Loyola.
My church here in E TN is chock full of Sparty fans. I wonder if I'll mention that the Ramblers (cool building Loyola has there in Southfield) have more NCAA wins in the last 2 WEEKS than Fizzo has in the last 3 YEARS. So far this year I've just contented myself with telling some of the Sparty fans that they simply need better guard play to win in the bigtime.
HELP!! What do I say to all the damn Ohioans?
But my very best friends there are Chicagoans. What do I tell them? That Loyola should be in the Big Ten?
It looks like we have an object lesson here on the value of playing HARD. There must be a sermon in there somewhere.
heh
Who has it better than us?!?!?
Maybe we can be ahead 24-12 at the first media TO next Saturday?
I remeber beiong in a suite for some of the 2005 Pistons run. Normally it sucks watching from there as you it is business and you can only half watch the the game between ass-kissing and smoozing. However, for that team, everyone stopped whatever they were doing everytime Detroit went on defense and went back to their conversations when Detroit went back on offense. That's how this team is to me now. I won't go the the can or get a beer when they are on D
Be Goin" Blue!.
This season might be the greatest coaching job that we have seen at Michigan and not just in basketball.
Since last season's loss to OSU:
44-10 record, 3-0 versus MSU with all of those victories by double digits.
14-1 in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments with two B1G tournament victories.
I don't know what the hell happaned aftert that OSU game but it was a turning point for the program.
Give coach B 2 seniors... any two seniors... and you are done for.
Leonard Hamilton is a classless goon. He tried to belittle that female reporter after the game for asking a legit question of why they didn't foul at the end. My guess is that they didn't want to foul Duncan, but he didn't give up the ball so they got disoriented. Not having any timeouts left hurt them.
March 25th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^
March 25th, 2018 at 10:29 AM ^
Being upset is not an excuse to treat another human poorly.
March 25th, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^
I thought he was trying to protect his kids but he didnt do it very well and came across looking like an ass.
March 25th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
March 25th, 2018 at 10:48 AM ^
Michigan up by 4, Robinson has the ball. No foul, time runs out.
Vegas line was 4.5 points. If Robinson makes at least one foul shot, we win by 5.
Ya wonder if Hamilton had some money on the game!
March 25th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^
March 25th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
Hamilton was right to concede
March 25th, 2018 at 10:28 AM ^
Wagner’s post play in the 2nd warrants more praise as it got him going, created momentum for us, and made FSU have to choose between him and Matthews in the paint.
That 4th foul on Moe was trash. I was shocked that we had no big on the floor near the end of the game but boy did the team dial up the D. Matthews is an incredible defender and his shot blocking is underrated.
Go Blue!
March 25th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^
YES!!! This is amaizing. What a great run by this team, and the versatility to win in different ways: bombing fools, winning a rock fight, etc... I love this team!!
GO BLUE!! Beat LOYLOLA (I had a roommate at Loyola New Orleans who couldn't pronounce the name of the school properly).
Amazing turnaround for Matthews. Beilein could barely keep him on the floor end of season and now he's been our offensive safety net. Great to see the joy on his face too. He seems like a great kid.
how sweet and elite that sounds.
My first star of the game:
Z Simpson. What a tough floor general.
My second star of the game:
Charles Matthews. Mr. stat stuffer.He was terrific.
My third star of the game:
MAAR. His calm and toughness with the ball in his hands. Outstanding.
Obvious the game was closer than it needed to be. Many open looks. Florida State was fortunate to be that close.
Nice little side note I heard during the broadcast about the way Xavier shoots free throws and how coach Belien's son reminded him of a player coach Belien had year's ago who struggled at the stripe and used somewhat the technique Xavier is using.
Final four.
Go Blue!!
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