Combined age of Michigan's
current five starters in 1993,
the last time the program
played in the Final Four
Overall wins for Michigan
coach John Beilein in
his 35 years of coaching
Final Four appearance
for Beilein
Number of shots
Nik Stauskas needed to make
total points in Sunday's game
F or more than a decade, glaringly obvious that those be cast on that banner, but in acrobatic layup between two was rumored to have decided likely his last collegiate basket-
it seemed like the only banners will likely be forever its shadow, the stories of the defenders. to turn pro, and Michigan was ball appearance. Instead, fellow
Final Four banners stored away from the public improbable journey will remain It was a 16-point game, but desperate for a point guard. senior Matt Vogrich pulled up
that might ever be lifted to the scope. In their place - in the immortalized. in essence, it was game over. Albrecht was likely headed to from deep and drilled a 3-point-
Crisler Center rafters would be unlikeli- The Gators never made another Appalachian State but was still er, placing the final exclamation
the banners from the banished est turn of lorida had gained con- push. uncommitted. point on a historic Elite Eight
1992 and 1993 teams. events - a trol of the momentum Murphy wasn't the only one "I didn't have any Division game.
While the Michigan men's new ban- after cutting a 17-point who never saw Albrecht com- I offers," Albrecht said. "So It didn't matter to Person,
basketball program suffered ner will halftime deficit into 12 just four ing. A year ago, the point guard coach Beilein - I can't thank though.
through losing seasons and hang. minutes into the second half. wasn't even a blip on Michigan's him enough for giving me this "It's everything I ever envi-
fired coaches, May 2013 was The yel- A Mitch McGary layup put radar. The Wolverine coaching opportunity, and I'll never stop sioned when I first walked on
seen as a light at the end of the low letters, the Wolverines back up by 14. staff had only previously seen working." campus with coach Beilein," he
tunnel - the only optimism cast on a Florida's Erik Murphy grabbed him because he was on McGary, He didn't stop working, said. "I told him my goal was to
that could be found amongst the blue ban- DANIEL the ball and made the simplest Max Bielfeldt and Glenn Robin- not in the offseason, and not get Michigan basketball back to
rubble of a once-mighty basket- ner, will let WASSERMAN of inbound passes - a little son III's AAU team. when Murphy lackadaisically where it once was."
ball school. the world too simple, it turned out. Out It was almost a year ago that inbounded the ball. And he did that. Last year. In
May 7, just five weeks from know that of nowhere came freshman Beilein first reached out to the his senior year.
now, will come and go, likely the 2012-2013 Michigan bas- point guard Spike Albrecht, unheralded recruit, and a week orey Person was calling In his first senior campaign,
without any meaningful land- ketball team reached the Final who scooped up the lazy pass later - on April 6 of last year for the ball. He wanted Person was a key behind-the-
mark events. It's become Four. A spotlight will forever and finished an up-and-under - Albrecht committed. Burke v to dunk in what was UN-FOUR-GETTABLE, PAGE 2B
The Michigan men's swimming team
won its 12th national championship on
Saturday.
The Michigan sports year started with
a crushing loss at Cowboys Stadium and
should've ended there too, writes Stephen
J. Nesbitt.