DEFINING MOMENTS
1.Big 3-pointer
Situation: Syracuse catches a break when Mitch McGary misses three chances to increase Michigan's four-point lead with 48.7 seconds. He missed two free throws, but Syracuse is called for a lane violation on the second miss, giving him a third chance, which he misses.
Result: On Syracuse's next possession, James Southerland comes off a screen and drains a 3-pointer to cut the Wolverines' lead to one with 41 seconds left. The Orange missed 11 of their 14 3-point attempts.
Quote: "Our defense was good enough to win tonight. Our offense wasn't." – Jim Boeheim
2. Block or charge?
Situation: Trey Burke hits one of two free throws to give Michigan a two-point lead, 58-56, with 28.1 seconds left. The Wolverines were scattershot with their free-throw attempts and their inaccuracy kept Syracuse in the game.
Result: On Syracuse's next possession, Brandon Triche gets by his defender and flies into the lane for what could be a game-tying layup. Instead, Jordan Morgan beats him to the spot and Triche is called for the charge with 19.2 seconds left. It was Triche's fifth foul.
Quote I: "I was just trying to make a play for the team. I probably should have made a better decision. I probably should have pulled up. I did see him but I was already in the air jumping. I was just trying to make a play for the team." – Triche
Quote II: "I've taken so many charges, it was almost instinct." — Morgan
3. Two quick fouls
Situation: Michael Carter-Williams picks up two personal fouls in a span of 26 seconds, the last coming with 1:14 left. Both were controversial and both involved Tim Hardaway. On the first, with 1:40 left, Carter-Williams was called for blocking when it appeared that Hardaway pushed him away. On the second, Carter-Williams was called for doing something illegally during a screen.
Result: The fouls were Carter-Williams' fourth and fifth, robbing Syracuse of one of their better ball-handlers in the critical final minute.
Quote: "Carter-Williams, the last to get fouled off, I was trying to knock down the handoff he did. He got a piece of me. I mean, the ref called the foul. I don't know what else to say." — Hardaway
ANALYSIS
Player of the game
Mitch McGary: The freshman finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. The only flaw in his game was missing four of six free-throw attempts. He has scored at least 11 points in the past five NCAA tournament games.
Quote: "The guys need me to step up when the moment's needed. Trey (Glenn Robinson III) and Tim have done a good job of being the opponents' key, keying on them a lot. I'm just getting a lot of open looks and making good decisions." — McGary
Coaching decisions
Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim
Situation: Trailing by two, Boeheim said he tried to call a play to free up Southerland for a 3-pointer. It was the play Syracuse ran on its previous possession and it worked. This time, Michigan covered it.
Result: Triche was forced to drive, resulting in the charging call that ended Syracuse's chance at a comeback.
Quote: "Brandon made a good decision when he drove the ball. It was a close call." — Boeheim
Michigan’s John Beilein
Situation: To beat Syracuse's 2-3 zone, Beilein put McGary into the center of the zone as an outlet for passes. He said they worked all week on McGary catching, pivoting, peeking and passing.
Result: McGary finished with a team-high six assists, including passes to Caris LeVert and Michael Albrecht for critical 3-pointers in the first half.
Quote: "We studied so many of their games. They got a great coaching staff. We knew that was an area that we might be able to exploit if we could pass out of there." — Beilein
By the numbers
11 3-pointers missed by Syracuse in the game.
3 3-pointers made by Syracuse in the game, including just one in the second half.
8 3 pointers made by Michigan
7 points scored by Michigan’s Trey Burke, the Associated Press Player of the Year. It was the second-fewest points scored by him this year.
21 points scored by Michigan’s bench.
11 points scored by Syracuse’s bench.
Etc.
—The 36 points scored by Michigan in the first half matched the highest total Syracuse has allowed in any half in the NCAA tournament this year.
— The 61 points scored was the most given up by Syracuse in the NCAA tournament this year.
— The Orange finished the season 2-6 when trailing at the half.
— The loss was Boeheim’s first in a Final Four semifinal game. He was 3-0.
— This will be Michigan’s sixth appearance in the NCAA championship game. Recent appearances in 1993 and 1992 were vacated.
— This will be the first Big Ten/Big East matchup in the NCAA title game since 1989 when the Wolverines defeated Seton Hall.
— The 61 points was Michigan’s second-lowest in an NCAA tournament win.
— Michigan is 18-0 against non-conference opponents this year.
— Michigan is 23-4 when leading at halftime.
— Beilein was 0-9 against Boeheim.
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