Haynes, the Wolverines’ go-to players coach, appeared to offer up a few words of support. But Poole, head wrapped in one last March Madness towel and eyes buried in Haynes’ shoulder, had no need for words. His trademark optimism, pervasive to the last possible moment, was gone, replaced by the tears of unfilled expectations.
So if we don’t remember the 2018-19 Wolverines in the same way we remember other great Wolverine teams of recent years, we’ll still remember them. Not as a moment, necessarily, but as a group of the greatest era of Michigan basketball history.
Even without the titles. Even without the single enduring image. Even without NCAA Tournament glory.
This was a damn good Michigan basketball team. It deserves to be remembered that way.
For the 103rd time in a row, the Michigan men’s basketball team’s season ended.
Such is the futility of sports. But, hey, you never know. Maybe the 104th season will never end.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Charles Matthews stood at the line and made the free-throw motion. He buried his head in his shirt for a second. Missed the first free throw. Bent his knees, stayed in that position for an extra beat as his teammates subbed out. Sunk the second free throw.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Amid an eerie silence, bowed heads and tear-filled eyes, one telling phrase rung through the Michigan locker room:
“Bad day to have a bad day.”
ANAHEIM, Calif. — For all the highs of this season, the end wasn’t especially hard to see coming.
The Daily looked at tape from three of Texas Tech’s most recent games, including its 78-58 win over Buffalo in the Round of 32, to help break down the matchup between two defensive titans.
“Iggy lives up for these moments,” Haynes saod. “I haven’t seen a kid like him that lives for these moments. He loves the crowd, he feeds into it, whether it’s hate or love. He’s a different kind of guy.”
To anybody who knows Brazdeikis, this is no surprise.
Nobody will write about what this season could have been if it ends with a Sweet Sixteen loss to Texas Tech, the only defense ranking ahead of the Wolverines in KenPom.
But Charles Matthews will wonder.
This will be the top two defensive teams in the country going at it, and Livers is as excited as anyone to be a part of it.