By Andrew Koob | National Desk Michigan is in the Final Four for the first time since the 1992-1993 season after as the Wolverines pummeled Florida from the opening tip until the final buzzer mercifully ended the battered Gators’ season. Here’s how Michigan engineered a dominating 79-59 win to become the champion of the South Region and earn a...
By Andrew Koob | National Desk
Florida's Michael Frazier II (20) and Michigan's Spike Albrecht (2) go after a loose ball during the second half of a regional final game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 31, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Michigan is in the Final Four for the first time since the 1992-1993 season after as the Wolverines pummeled Florida from the opening tip until the final buzzer mercifully ended the battered Gators’ season.
Here’s how Michigan engineered a dominating 79-59 win to become the champion of the South Region and earn a date with Syracuse in Atlanta:
Most Valuable Player:
Nik Stauskas, Michigan
Florida switched from a man-to-man defense to a 2-3 zone to stop guard Trey Burke, and Stauskas reaped the benefits. The freshman guard made a living from the left corner, converting all five of his first-half 3-point attempts and racking up 19 points by intermission. Stauskas didn’t need to keep firing from long range with the Wolverines up big in the second half, but he was able to tack on one more 3-pointer to finish with a game-high 22 points.
Least Valuable Player:
Erik Murphy, Florida
The Florida big man helped out on the glass, grabbing eight rebounds (four of which came on the offensive end). But when you lead your team in scoring, a decent night of rebounding doesn’t exactly make up for an 0-for-11 shooting night and a big zero in the scoring column.
Stat of the Game:
79 - Points scored by Michigan
Florida entered this game with the third-best scoring defense in the nation, allowing opponents to score just 53.7 points per game. Michigan, on the other hand, entered with the country's 23rd-best scoring attack at 75.4 points per contest. In this case, the unstoppable force obliterated the immovable object.
Key stretch:
On an 11-2 run, Florida had a chance to cut the Wolverines’ lead to 13 before heading into the half. After Michigan's Trey Burke steal and Florida's Will Yeguete traded layups, Stauskas was fouled attempting a 3-pointer with less than a second on the clock. The freshman guard hit two of the three free throws attempts, but the play seemed to deflate the Gators and shift the momentum back in the Wolverines’ favor heading to the locker room. Florida never mustered another run in the second half, and Michigan cruised to the victory.