They were inches away from the shot of the season, a 40-foot heave that would’ve announced these young Wolverines as a Big Ten contender. Another John Beilein-coached squad that keeps getting better.
But Charles Matthews shot at the buzzer just missed Tuesday night at the Crisler Center, and U-M missed its chance to knock off No. 7 Purdue, 70-69.
A win over the Boilermakers would’ve been a statement.
A near-win says plenty, too. Or it should. Because this Michigan team is showing a quality you might not associate with it: grit.
Both in the way they can defend and in the way they fight. Twice, the Boilermakers built double-digit leads — once in each half — and twice U-M dug in and fought back.
Whether it was Matthews wrestling away a rebound from Purdue’s behemoth center, Isaac Haas, or Zavier Simpson forcing his way into the lane for lay-ups, or Isaiah Livers swinging momentum toward his Wolverines midway through the first half with his energy.
Livers, a 6-foot-7 freshman forward from Kalamazoo, is the kind of player Beilein hasn’t had much of during his time in Ann Arbor. He’s skilled, of course. And he can shoot. He can also defend and rebound. And enjoys it.
►More: See John Beilein's off-court life in 'Men of March'
