Kentucky 75, Michigan 72
Postgame locker room, via @umichbball
67 of the 68 teams that make the NCAA Tournament have their seasons end in heartbreak. For the second straight year, Michigan came excruciatingly close to being that lone exception, only to lose in a classic game.
Even though it's exceedingly likely your team will be one of the unfortunate 67, it's impossible to prepare for a moment like this. We got to bask in the glory of the Tennessee win for, oh, half an hour before fretting about the next opponent. From the moment Kentucky emerged over Louisville, we've spent our time worrying about that matchup.
From the moment of tipoff this afternoon, two of the most talented teams in the country played an incredible back-and-forth affair. And until Nik Stauskas's prayer thudded harmlessly against the backboard, we held out hope. Then it hits, the realization that this amazing run is done—and another shot at that elusive, ultimate banner has gone with it. It's like having your breath return after holding it for two days, only for the first inhale to precede a deep sigh, or perhaps a body-shaking sob.
For Jordan Morgan, there are no more shots. He'll be fine when the shock wears off—Michigan engineering grads tend to do okay after college—but in the interim, I ache for him. To a lesser extent, that goes to the rest of the players and the coaching staff, but I wasn't ready to see Morgan's pundit-defying career end.
I've got no more to offer in the way of words or feelings; after three weeks on tilt, I'm completely spent. Thank you, Kentucky, for giving us a whale of a game. Thank you, Michigan, for being a source of joy all season, again. Thank you, Jordan Morgan, for everything.
I almost wrote them off when McGary went down. Great to see two of the most improved players in the country on our team. Here's hoping Levert, Irvin and Walton can continue to make great strides next year. To Nik, GR3 and Big Puppy; do what's best for your future and family. But I hope to see Mitch play in Crisler for another year.
...the last 3 months have been more joy and more happiness and more excitement than any of us would have imagined in our wildest dreams after McGary went down. We can thank everyone from Coach B to Dancin' Andrew and every Death From Above rainer in between. JMo, Nik, GRIII, Spike, Caris, John...EVERYBODY. Thank you for being everything good about Michigan, and thank you for embodying why It's Great To Be A Michigan Wolverine.
... they had no quit, kept moving to free themselves for good looks, found the open man (twice), working their asses off for multiple offensive boards, and did not indulge in hero ball. And they tied the game, even if the ball went in off of a Kentucky hand.
A year after making the final, they made the Elite 8. Those are the the makings of a Top-10 program. And that is all we can ask for as fans. After that, it's the just the luck of the bounce sometimes in the tournament.
Here's to the ball soon bouncing Beilein's way.
Not with Harrison's last-second three, but with KY's domination in the paint. M really had no answer for Julius Randle and company. If Mitch had been there, it would have been a different story, but he wasn't and Morgan/Horford, as well as they played, just couldn 't keep up. Will Beilein ever recruit a Randle/Brandon Dawson type? He might need to, to keep M up there with the other elite programs. But in the meantime,
The run was great fun, but it was just one of those shots. Congratulations, guys, on a great season.
March 30th, 2014 at 10:32 PM ^
Kentucky won because they drove to the paint with ease in the second half...
March 30th, 2014 at 11:49 PM ^
March 30th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
when you lose a razor close game.The woulda-shoulda demons stay in your head for a long time.Been there many times in a past life.
Sad to be out of the tourney, but proud of the guys and the coaching staff. One hell of a season all things considered. Looking forward to where this program is heading.
Go Blue!
We ran into a team playing out of its mind today after underachieving much of the year. Stuff happens. Our team drew us in and entertained us in fabulous fashion all season long. 15-3 in the conference that the tourney proved is the best in the land and an Elite 8 appearance is an accomplishment that I did not think remotely possible in November or December.
I thought he was going to get 35 points in the game and lead us to the Final Four. He hits his first 2 3's and just has a great 1st half, but for whatever reason - he just couldn't buy anything in the 2nd half - a dunk was his only FG. Just another example why this was such a tough loss.
Go Blue!
March 30th, 2014 at 10:00 PM ^
What do you think of my profile picture?
March 30th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
Oh. Nevermind
March 30th, 2014 at 10:14 PM ^
March 30th, 2014 at 10:17 PM ^
Great season and great tourney run. Many more great season are on the horizon guarenteed. Wouldnt want any other coach than Beilein. Only 59 more wins to go down as Michigans all-time winningest coach. GO BLUE!!!
March 30th, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^
March 30th, 2014 at 10:51 PM ^
Man, what a game. It was like a heavyweight fight, with Kentucky throwing haymakers and us fighting back every time. So impressed with our resolve - there were times (especially when it was 45-39 and 62-55) when it looked like the dam was about to burst and UK would run away with it, but we always kept our composure and got back into the game. Our last real possession, with the three offensive rebounds against a much taller team, said it all - this team wasn't the deepest or strongest (especially inside), but it had an incredible mental toughness and kept plugging away. Usually in the end, the other team felt apart. Just not today.
March 30th, 2014 at 11:05 PM ^
For Michigan to lose a nail-biter on a last-second three.
Great season, Blue, see you next year.
March 30th, 2014 at 11:22 PM ^
March 30th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^
March 30th, 2014 at 11:52 PM ^
March 31st, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^
Is that I bet you could bring Kentucky out for warmups and they wouldn't be able to go 7-11 from 3 completely unguarded.
You are right. But give them credit, they did it when it counted.
You should have to play out of your mind to make the Final Four. And they did.
that you wrote this with conviction. I just read this (shortly before my first class comes in for PE). I watched the game knowing I had two schools of grades to enter in. Going to bed at around 1 am it was everything I could do to not navigate away from skyward to MGoBlog. I was going through my own minds eye in review of the game and was hoping that Michigan fans and MGoBloggers would be ok with the loss. I appreciate that you are thankful and humble with your words in this loss. High class to praise the whole team and yet make your passionate thoughts of well wishes for JMo known. As well as congratulating UK as tough as it is. Have a great day in a non-post apocolyptic Michigan world!
Go BLUE
March 31st, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^
and John Harbaugh has to indirectly pile on... . why the F did he wear an msu hat? that REALLY pissed me off.... i highly doubt he'd have done that if Bo were alive....and that subtle thing, can make ALL the difference....
March 31st, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
Great game, great season .... sad its over
Thanks for all the fun fellas....Go Blue!
March 31st, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
Hats off to our guys for a great season.
I don't ache for Morgan or anyone else. This was a great run, much better than ANYONE thought, including Beilein himself, after losing McGary. Sure I would have loved to see them move on, both selfishly and for the guys we're losing (and might be losing), but I console myself with the terrific accomplishments this year, the outstanding trajectory this program is on, and high hopes for next year. HAIL!
Comments