WICHITA, Kan. -- The chance to play for a shot at the Sweet Sixteen is on the line on Saturday.
Michigan is preparing to face a talented Houston team led by prolific offensive scorer Rob Gray, who put a career-high 39 points in a winning effort against San Diego State in the second session on Thursday. The Cougars are looking for more of the same magic.
The Wolverines, however, are looking for a stronger effort in the first half. As a slow start didn't cause them too many issues in the game against Montana.
Tipoff is set for 9:40 p.m. ET on TBS.
Follow along with The Michigan Insider for all news and notes from Saturday's game in the comment section below and our premium message boards.
He took a deep breath and wiggled his fingers as he stepped to the line, but his first shot was woefully short, perhaps a sign of nerves. His second shot rimmed out, too, and Michigan rebounded the ball. The Wolverines had life and set up the final play (whatever it’s called), which is the same one they used to defeat the University of Maryland earlier in the season.
“We have several variations and there are three or four options off of it,” explained John Beilein, the Michigan coach. The option they used worked perfectly.
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As Livers went to throw the ball in, Abdur-Rahkman curled along the midcourt line and found himself open on the right side, the same side that Poole had set up. Livers threw the ball to Abdur-Rahkman — a pass from a “former pitcher to a former receiver,” Abdur-Rahkman noted. With the clock ticking toward zero, Abdur-Rahkman dribbled a few feet until Cougars guard Rob Gray came out to meet him.
Abdur-Rahkman dished the ball over to Poole, who jumped and gracefully unleashed his arcing, long-range shot. The ball hit the back rim and went through the basket after the buzzer had sounded and the red light had gone on, igniting a wild celebration that went from one end of the court to the other.
Poole, who played only 11 minutes and had only 5 points before that shot, jumped to his feet and began running around the court as his teammates tried to catch him and celebrate. The Houston players stood in shock, including Gray, who was held to 23 points after scoring 39 in Houston’s first-round game.
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As Michigan celebrated, the referees went to the scorer’s table to review the play and ensure that Poole had got it off in time. But he knew he had.
“I don’t even know why they were looking at it,” Poole said. “I saw the light come on after I let it go. I knew it was good.”
Minutes after the win, Michigan players celebrated in the locker room by spraying bottles of water at one another — including on their freshman hero.
By the time reporters entered the room, the floor was basically one large puddle of water, and people wanted to know what happened.
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“We had a Poole party,” Livers said.
CLOSE Michigan basketball's Jordan Poole said he was "thirsty" for the ball in the final seconds of their game against Houston. The Wolverines advance to the Sweet 16 after defeating Houston, 64-63. Nicholas Baumgardner, Detroit Free Press
Michigan Wolverines guard Jordan Poole (2) celebrates with teammates after making the game-winning three-point shot to defeat the Houston Cougars. (Photo: Kelly Ross, USA TODAY Sports)
WICHITA, Kan. — Jordan Poole stood near his locker, drenched in water, reaching for his cell phone.
Michigan basketball's boisterous freshman from Milwaukee hit the power button and saw 394 text messages suddenly appear. Minutes later and without warning, that number jumped to 532.
"This is not OK," Poole laughed. "My teacher texted me. I made it."
Poole, the man of the hour who still hasn't found a shot he didn't like, will wear the tag of Michigan basketball hero for the rest of his life after his nearly 30-foot buzzer-beater pushed the Wolverines past Houston on Saturday and into the Sweet 16 with a 64-63 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Michigan (30-7) will play the winner of North Carolina/Texas A&M in the West Region semifinals Thursday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
More on 'the shot':
Michigan basketball's miracle win steeped in swag, ended in swish
Michigan gets stunning win over Houston with an 'overdose of swag'
Known by his teammates as the most energetic and talkative player on the roster, Poole might need more time to answer all those texts.
Michigan head coach John Beilein hugs his wife Kathleen Beilein after defeating Houston 64-63 in second round of the NCAA tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, March 17, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
Though he was positive he'd be soaking up every minute of it.
"He's never going to shut up now," Michigan center Moritz Wagner said with a smile after embracing Poole with a bear hug.
After struggling to hit anything all night long, the Wolverines went to an old favorite in the exact right situation. In fact, the play U-M ran with 3.6 seconds left was the same one it used to beat Maryland near the buzzer earlier this season.
Isaiah Livers, a former pitcher, threw a pass to Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, a former high school wide receiver and Michigan's best driver to the basket. Abdur-Rahkman's first instinct was to get as close to the basket as possible. Against Maryland, it worked as he was fouled on his way to the rim.
On Saturday in Wichita, he took two dribbles to his left and heard his loudest teammate screaming his name on the right wing.
Abdur-Rahkman to Poole. Poole at the buzzer.
Ball game.
"He just (yelled) 'Hamm,' and I looked up and saw he was open," said Abdur-Rahkman, citing Poole's nickname for him. "I had 100 percent confidence he was going to knock it down."
It's a play Michigan practices every three or four days. Zavier Simpson said the name for it was "Indiana." Livers said it was called "Tennessee." Abdur-Rahkman made sure reporters knew that coach John Beilein changes the name of it often.
More on Poole:
Michigan basketball's Jordan Poole made for March, all its madness
In fact, there are several different variations of the play, as Beilein puts his best baseball passer (Livers) on the baseline. With Charles Matthews and Duncan Robinson fouled out, Beilein inserted Ibi Watson to help set screens for Poole and Abdur-Rahkman. The ball goes to Abdur-Rahkman and shooters roll with him in search of the cleanest look at the basket possible.
He doesn't run it all the time. But he's 2-for-2 this season.
"I'm a little astonished with what just happened," Beilein said. "Jordan's growing every day. Growing in the right direction. He's a heck of a kid and it's going to be fun to watch him over the next couple years."
Michigan guard Jordan Poole (2) who scored a 3-point buzzer-beater is greeted by coaches and staff in the locker room at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, March 17, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
The stage was greater, of course, but Poole believes Saturday's moment was another night at the office.
During a scrimmage U-M allowed reporters to watch last week, nine days before Saturday's game, Poole canned deep buzzer-beaters at the end of the first and second halves. The second was a game-winner.
Never bashful and always a showman, Poole looked toward empty seats in the Crisler Center with a celebration no one saw.
On Saturday, he sprinted up and down the floor as the world watched.
"I was shooting (well) in warmups, I hit a 3 earlier in the game and, at that point, it was just repetition," Poole said. "It didn't feel bad. Let's just say that."
For Michigan, the entire scenario looked incredibly unlikely just seconds earlier as Abdur-Rahkman missed a runner in the lane that could've tied the game with 3.9 seconds to play. The Wolverines then fouled Houston forward Devin Davis, who had hit six free throws down the stretch.
But Davis walked to the other end and missed both. Wagner collected the rebound and immediately called timeout. From there, Beilein knew where he was going.
Michigan had one of its worst shooting days of the season on Saturday. Abdur-Rahkman missed all six 3-pointers he attempted. The Wolverines were 7 of 29 from deep before Poole's shot. At one point during the second half, U-M bricked three open looks in a single possession.
All things pointed toward Michigan's number being up.
Michigan guard Charles Matthews, left, talks to teammate guard Zavier Simpson as he calls his brother to celebrate defeating Houston in second round of the NCAA tournament in the locker room at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, March 17, 2018. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
Until it wasn't.
"We ain't done yet," Matthews shouted into his phone with his brother at the other end. "You're only as good as your last game and our last shot went in.
"I'm lit, man. I've got nothing to say."
The victory puts the Wolverines in the Sweet 16 for a second straight year and for the fourth time in the last six. Beilein has now tied Steve Fisher for all-time Sweet 16 appearance at U-M with four.
On top of that, this Michigan team became just the fourth in program history to record 30 wins in a season: Joining the 1989 national title team, the 1993 Final Four team and the 2013 national runner-up team.
And with that, Michigan will pack its bags for Los Angeles. But not before a bit of work, as Poole told reporters he still has a Greek mythology paper due in Ann Arbor on Monday.
The life of a heroic student-athlete, who now lives in Michigan mythology.
"I was thirsty (out there), definitely thirsty," Poole said. "I always felt like I'd be in a situation like that at the end of a game. My teammates tell me I've got ice in my game. I was definitely thirsty.
"And I just knocked the shot down."
Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @nickbaumgardner. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!
Who: Michigan Wolverines (29-7) vs. Houston Cougars (27-7)
Where: Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kansas)
When: Saturday, March 17, 8:40 p.m. CT (9:40 ET)
Point spread: Michigan -3.5
Watch: TBS
Listen: Detroit: WWJ-950 AM; Ann Arbor: WWWW-102.9 FM
Tickets: Sold out
Follow: Andrew Kahn and Live Chat
Michigan will once again have the late tip at Wichita, starting 30 minutes after the Kansas-Seton Hall game, which starts at 6:10 p.m. CT, ends. The Wolverines will face Houston, which finished behind Cincinnati for both the American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Houston, a 6 seed, beat 11 seed San Diego State 67-65 on Thursday behind 39 points from senior guard Rob Gray. It was the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 1984, when the Cougars made it all the way to the national championship. They had lost four opening-round games since.
Houston and Michigan had one common opponent this season. The Wolverines lost 77-75 to LSU in Hawaii; Houston lost 80-77 at LSU.
The Cougars believe Michigan is similar to AAC member Wichita State because of how they move the ball and have five scorers on the floor. "Multiple great shooters," Gray said. "Great extra pass team. (Zavier) Simpson is always getting in the lane, causing someone to help. He makes a pass, they make a pass -- open corner 3."
Houston split its regular-season meetings with Wichita -- with one of those games being played just a few miles up the road from Intrust Bank Arena -- and beat the Shockers in the conference tournament semifinals.
On paper, Saturday's matchup looks like it could be a defensive struggle. Both teams rank in the 30s in KenPom.com's offensive efficiency rankings. Michigan's defense is third in the country; Houston's is 16th. Neither team executed well offensively in their NCAA Tournament openers.
But the prediction here is that both teams find a better groove. Unless they're willing to accept foul trouble, it will be tough for either team's guards to contain dribble penetration. Both squads have capable outside shooters. The Cougars not named Rob Gray shot just 1-for-7 from 3 on Thursday. Michigan went 5-for-16 from deep and Moritz Wagner scored just five points in a 61-47 win over Montana. Expect them all to bounce back.
Michigan could survive a slow start and shaky offense to beat a 14 seed. As good as Michigan's defense has been, it will need to score more often to beat Houston. Capitalizing on easy transition opportunities -- something the Wolverines couldn't do against Montana -- would help.
Michigan's season could end Saturday night in Wichita, but this has looked like a second-weekend NCAA Tournament team for a month. Houston is good, but no better than the teams Michigan beat en route to a Big Ten Tournament title. The pick: Michigan 77, Houston 72.
Pre-game reading:
Get to know the Michigan Wolverines
Zavier Simpson eager for another high-profile defensive matchup
Michigan and Houston need to play better to advance
Hotel room disputes and long days in Wichita
Rob Gray will be the focus of Michigan's defense
Bench play lifts Michigan over Montana
Charles Matthews posts 20 points in NCAA Tournament opener
