March Madness 2022: Michigan in Sweet 16 again as Eli Brooks puts away Vols late

Eli Brooks returned for one remaining school season with the aim of serving to Michigan attain the Ultimate 4.

Defying expectations, the Wolverines are midway there.

Brooks scored seven of his 23 factors within the remaining 3½ minutes and the Eleventh-seeded Wolverines booked probably the most shocking of their 5 straight Candy 16 appearances, beating third-seeded Tennessee 78-68 on Saturday within the second spherical of the NCAA Event.

“I’m simply making an attempt to dwell within the second proper now and cherish the time we have now with the folks in my life proper now at Michigan and benefit from the means of going by way of this match once more and having that likelihood of getting our final aim,” stated Brooks, a fifth-year senior.

Michigan’s 5 straight journeys to the regional semifinals is the second-longest streak within the nation behind Gonzaga’s. The Bulldogs beat Memphis on Sunday evening to make their seventh consecutive Candy 16.

It wasn’t clear late within the season whether or not the Wolverines could be within the match, a lot much less have an opportunity for a deep run.

Hardly a traditional Cinderella given its assets and pedigree, Michigan (19-14) has the worst file of any group left within the subject and did the naked minimal to safe an at-large berth. The Wolverines hadn’t gained two straight video games since mid-February.

Nonetheless, coach Juwan Howard’s squad has loads of expertise and elevated its play down the stretch in opposition to the Southeastern Convention champion Vols, who led by six factors with 8 1/2 minutes left earlier than going chilly. Howard himself needed to be taught some classes about composure when he was suspended for 5 video games late within the season for hitting a Wisconsin assistant throughout a postgame handshake line.

Subsequent up for the Wolverines is both second-seeded Villanova or longtime rival Ohio State, the No. 7 seed, on Thursday within the South Area semifinals at San Antonio, Texas.

“Making it to the Candy 16 is, as literal as it’s, candy as a result of no one believed in us,” stated sophomore huge man Hunter Dickinson, who led Michigan with 27 factors and 11 rebounds. “All people thought we shouldn’t be within the match and now people who had been hating on us are going residence and about to look at us subsequent week.”

Brooks broke Tennessee’s coronary heart together with his late, looping, improvised hook shot.

“He’s all the pieces in terms of being a Michigan man, what he’s performed on the ground, what he’s performed off the ground, together with his improvement, rising as a person, having the ability to regulate to completely different cultures,” Howard stated. “It’s going to be powerful to exchange a man like that. He’s irreplaceable.”

Kennedy Chandler had 19 factors and Josiah-Jordan James had 13 for Tennessee (27-8), which had a seven-game profitable streak snapped. Two days after taking pictures a faculty tourney file 60% from the sphere, the Vols shot 41.8% and got here up brief once more within the postseason. Tennessee misplaced to Oregon State within the first spherical final 12 months, additionally at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

This 12 months, the sector was crammed to the rafters with an orange hue and Vols followers repeatedly belted out the lyrics to “Rocky High” throughout timeouts — a stark distinction from 2021 when attendance was restricted to about 25% of capability due to COVID-19 restrictions. The power made a distinction.

“We had greater expectations, however credit score to Michigan — they performed higher basketball for 40 minutes,” James stated. “It undoubtedly hurts. It’s not a superb feeling being up right here proper now on the dropping finish.”

Michigan managed many of the first half till the Vols used a late 13-4 run to take a 37-32 halftime lead. Tennessee performed with the lead for many of the second half till Michigan went on a 14-5 run.

The Wolverines twice tied the rating on tip-ins from Terrance Williams II. After which Brooks swung the sport.

His three-point play with 3:21 to go made it 65-62. Chandler’s jumper minimize the deficit to 66-64, however James missed a 3-pointer and Brooks answered together with his old-school hook earlier than Michigan closed it out on the free-throw line.

BIG PICTURE

Michigan: The Wolverines performed higher than their seeding in Indianapolis, beating Colorado State with a backup level guard earlier than topping the SEC champs. Now, Howard has his group interested by including a nationwide championship banner to Crisler Area.

Tennessee: Coach Rick Barnes’ group seemed to be peaking earlier than the match, which is able to make this loss troublesome to simply accept.

HURT AGAIN

Michigan start line guard DeVante’ Jones, who missed Thursday’s first-round recreation, returned Saturday solely to depart once more after a collision with teammate Moussa Diabate.

STAT PACK

Michigan: Brooks had 5 assists and Dickinson had 4. Dickinson additionally drew eight fouls. … Diabate completed with 13 factors and 6 rebounds. … Jones performed 11 1/2 minutes. … Michigan had 15 turnovers, in contrast with seven for Tennessee.

Tennessee: Chandler had 9 assists and 4 rebounds. … Uros Plavisc scored 9 factors and grabbed 9 rebounds. … Tennessee was 2 of 18 on 3-pointers and was outscored 13-7 on second-chance factors.

HE SAID IT

“It’s very irritating. Whether or not you lose on the primary day, the second day, like we did right this moment, otherwise you lose within the semifinals, it’s the identical feeling,” Barnes stated. “I’ve been pissed off quite a bit in my profession, however I’m additionally very grateful that I’ve been in a position to be right here.”

UP NEXT

Michigan will attempt to win its third recreation in a row for the primary time since late January.