jordan poole
jordan poole snatches a soul
jordan poole unabashed gunner
jordan poole off the charts swag
2018 ncaa basketball tournament
2017-18 houston
100% best thing ever

Michigan 64, Houston 63, Jordan Poole Forever Comment Count

Ace


HOW [JD Scott/MGoBlog]

Jordan Poole, overdosed on swag from birth, lives for this moment.

It didn't matter that he'd made only two of his 13 three-point attempts in the month of March. It didn't matter that Michigan had gone 7-for-29 from beyond the arc in the game. It didn't matter that the game had been a brutal slog of a refshow. It didn't matter that Michigan had to inbound the ball from under their own basket. It didn't matter that Poole's view of the basket was so obscured he didn't see if the shot fell. It didn't matter that he's just a freshman.

Poole was born for this. With time about to expire, he took a sharp pass from MAAR, squared up, and fired. With a defender in his face, he struck the Jordan pose as he released the shot, then fell to the ground. Our hero arose and... ran for his life:

"After the shot went in I didn't know it went in," said Poole. "I looked at the bench. I was always thinking if I hit a shot like that I didn't want to get tackled. So I was kind of trying to avoid everybody, but I gave up and they tackled me and it was an amazing experience."

Instead of a heartbreaking early tournament exit to end the Michigan careers of MAAR, Duncan Robinson, and possibly Moe Wagner, the Wolverines move on to their second straight Sweet Sixteen in the most unimaginable way.

To everyone but Poole, that is. The young man had even planned his exit strategy.


[Scott]

[Hit THE JUMP for more photos and the box score.]

All photos by JD Scott.

Comments

jakerblue

March 18th, 2018 at 8:24 AM ^

Manbun was good. But he does too much bullshit. I get trying to draw fouls in the regular course of the game it’s just part of basketball. But it seemed like every play he was trying to force a call, like when he literally pulled Teske down on top of him. I bet he probably thinks he’s being savvy, but it just seems cheap.

Joined: 10/09/2015

MGoPoints: 3645

Perkis-Size Me

March 18th, 2018 at 8:24 AM ^

As ecstatic as I am about the game’s ending, those last shots of the Houston players, as well as the player crying on the bench, are always tough to see. This is what they work for their whole lives leading up to this moment. And it gets snatched away in an instant.

I know I know, better them than us. But it could’ve just as easily been them heading to LA next week, and they would’ve deserved to be there too. Sports can be beautiful. But they can also be very, very cruel. Michigan is well aware of that last piece by now.

Great game by Houston. Better luck next year.

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 105839

crg

March 18th, 2018 at 8:43 AM ^

Turned off the game with less than a minute left when it looked as though Houston was going to ice it away. Went to bed angry, especially with officiating. Woke up and checked news - like waking up on Christmas morning, but better because it was a surprise.

Joined: 04/30/2015

MGoPoints: 75054

1VaBlue1

March 18th, 2018 at 8:56 AM ^

What a finish!  I thought the game was lost, but that 5 pt play tied it up, and the scuffling just didn't stop.  Both teams went hard those last couple of minutes.  Somehow, Poole got the last shot - and it seems like the only 3 that went in since Robinson's 3 in a row early, and the lucky-ass bounce Mattehws got on the 5 pt play.  

I mean, even MAAR smiled!!

Joined: 01/31/2016

MGoPoints: 127312

bronxblue

March 18th, 2018 at 9:17 AM ^

This might have been touched on elsewhere, but it looked like Poole was fouled as well on that shot. Still, incredible shot and a win. The refs these two games were all over the map, but it seemed to be a problem with the region in general, or at least a couple of the crews. Assuming UNC gets to the next round, Michigan has to figure out their shooting issues. But the defense held tough throughout and both Montana and Houston were the two "best" teams in their seeds, so some of the struggles can be attributed to just solid teams.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171810

SF Wolverine

March 18th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^

that the last play was a complete cluster for them.  Did not cover the inbounder, which allows him to throw a strike instead of a much-harder lob, Man Bun goes the wrong way on Rahk, and the guy covering Poole backs of before charging at him late, and probably fouling him.  Boys stepped up and got it done, but needed a ton of help from Houston in the last four seconds to do so.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 24906

FloridaFlash

March 18th, 2018 at 8:02 PM ^

I am NOT picking on the kid.  The boy bun and TBS obsession with it is not the point.  The point is that for every fan base that is elated by the result of a game there is another fan base that is crushed.  After this game I was elated, and the clearest proof of my elation was the look on this kid's face (and the hand over the mouth of the guy standing next to him).

And by the way, I am with Charles Barkley on this point "Man Buns are not a thing."  Ergo, boy buns aren't a thing either.  But now, as a result of one freak three pointer that made us all dizzy, when we were on the verge of being the ones who were crushed, the man bun is done and the boy bun is done and I am happy.  

 

Joined: 03/28/2014

MGoPoints: 1

Hugh

March 18th, 2018 at 10:37 AM ^

But I would rather see Poole shoot!

The bench won this game. Our starters seemed to have problem with depth perception in both games.

Joined: 10/03/2011

MGoPoints: 2

Ajcoss

March 18th, 2018 at 1:58 PM ^

Might be nothing, simply in such shock that he didn't know what to do. However, every time I see this, makes me think this dude is checked out. Gotta think coaches saw this? You think something like That could eliminate him getting any minutes rest of this tourney? Very odd reaction to a game winning shot!

Joined: 01/04/2017

MGoPoints: 8208

bdneely4

March 18th, 2018 at 6:06 PM ^

That anyone would even have a take like this after we just won a game like we did last night. He definitely was not mad that we lost and was smacking hands and clearly excited towards the end of the celebration before the players shook hands. Unless someone can give a personal comment from Ibi himself that he has checked out, this is just a stupid observation.

Joined: 01/06/2009

MGoPoints: 13938

BlueinGeorgia

March 18th, 2018 at 2:34 PM ^

I just got restationed in California and am strongly considering heading down to the game on Thursday.  Does anyone living in the area have a spare bedroom or recommendations where to stay for a night?  I have never been to LA and have no idea where to start.

Joined: 09/28/2016

MGoPoints: 111

oldhackman

March 20th, 2018 at 2:07 PM ^

The T.O.s have no value if you don't use them.  I think icing the shooter a little, but saving the last T.O. to go over the play, was just the right thing to do.

What was brilliant, though, is how calm and analytical he was in the moment from the missed MAAR layup and subsequent foul. Houston's bench is dancing (I nearly turned off the game at that point), but Coach B calmly is telling the players what the plan is.  We had a chance from the first miss, but after the second miss and T.O., did you notice the enthusiasm of the team running to the bench?  Even with the odds heavily against us we are not a beaten team until we are a beaten team.

Poole was calling from the ball from the second MAAR touched the imbound pass. SWEET 16 indeed!

Joined: 07/01/2011

MGoPoints: 382

a2JD

April 16th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^

The disappointment of how things turned out 2 Mondays ago is greatly overshadowed by how magical a night this was.  I'm still so happy that I got to be a part of it.

Go Blue!

Joined: 04/05/2017

MGoPoints: 35