SPORTS The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2004 - 23 Here's how... The Michigan basketball teams hoists the NIT Championship trophy after its 62-55 victory over Rutgers. In NI1 Blue learns an essential lesson: victory NEW YORK - Michigan was ahead 41-29 in the second half when it started. Rutgers's Ricky Shields hit a 3-pointer. Then, Juel Wiggan scored off an offensive rebound. Herve Lamizana nailed a * jumper, and Shields did the same. In the blink of an eye, Michigan was down 44-43 and pro-Rut- gers Madison Square Garden was alive. Suddenly, every Michi- gan fan in the place was CHRIS stuck in flashback mode, BURKE their mind wandering to Goin' to Work losses at Wisconsin, Illi- April 2, 2004 nois, Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana - games where the Wolverines played so well for so long, only to collapse in the waning moments. But last night, something strange happened: Michigan didn't fold. Instead, the Wolverines tightened up their defense and rediscovered their confidence on offense. A layup by Michigan center Courtney Sims put the Wolverines ahead with 4:55 left, and five minutes later, the Wolverines found them- selves with something that had too often eluded them in regular-season road games. Victory. Don't kid yourself-- Michigan would not have won this game earlier this year. No way. The NIT version of the Michigan basketball team, though, was different than the regular-season version. After the win, senior Bernard Robinson said that Michigan had been capable of a perform- ance like last night's all year. And therein lies the difference: Regular-season Michigan couldn't get it done. Postseason Michi- gan played up to its potential. Regular-season Michigan would have imploded had it turned the ball over four times in four min- utes, as the Wolverines did last night during Rut- gers's run. But postseason Michigan found a way to get the job done -be it Dion Harris nailing a 3- pointer with all the Rutgers fans on their feet, or Daniel Horton racing back on defense after a turnover to get the Wolverines the possession back with a steal. The mantra all season for this baby-faced Michi- gan squad was that it takes young teams a long time to learn how to win. Well, consider the lesson learned. "Asa coach and asa teacher, when you see your players and your students get better at the things that you've been coaching and preaching and teaching, there's nothing better," Michigan coach TommyAmaker said. And the result of that knowledge spoke for itself last night. Victory. It's a word that hasn't accompanied the end of a See BURKE, Page 26 Buy used textbooks Used textbooks save you 25% Reserve now Reserve your textbooks in advance for the best selection of used books Sell at buyback Get money back for your books at buyback Support your school A portion of your bookstore purchase goes to support your school Pierpont Commons Bookstore Pierpont Commons (North Campus) (734) 668-6022 Michigan Union Bookstore 530 S. State Street phone# 734.995.8877 email: bksumichiganunion@bncollege.com www.umichigan.bkstore.com