Poole Party: Behind the Game-Winning Shot That Has Michigan Moving On

By Steve Kornacki

WICHITA, Kan. -- Jordan Poole scrolled through text messages on his phone in the locker room about one hour after hitting a 32-foot shot that splashed into the net as time expired, making the University of Michigan men's basketball team a one-point winner over Houston.

"There are 532 texts," said Poole, shaking his head.

He ran his finger over the glass, in search of the one he wanted to read most. It was from his father, Anthony, watching back home in Milwaukee.

Poole smiled while reading the text from Pops: "You remember that I told you that you would hit a shot like Trey Burke. Love you. Enjoy the moment."

His father was referring to the three-point shot from 30 feet out that Burke hit against Kansas with 4.2 seconds remaining to force overtime in the NCAA Sweet 16 game that Michigan pulled out before eventually advancing to the 2013 Final Four.

Poole, the freshman who inspired "Poole Parties" with Maize Rage members dressing for games like it was a day at the pool, went up, splay-legged, and hit the shot Saturday night (March 17) that made the Wolverines 64-63 winners, advancing them to a Sweet 16 matchup in Los Angeles with Texas A&M.

"Dad was watching with my mom, sister and my two cats," said Poole. "He was actually pretty chill."

Poole chuckled and then scrolled through the texts: "This is crazy! Caris LeVert, D.J. Wilson, Derrick Walton, my teacher, my dentist, everybody. It is crazy."

When asked for one word to describe it all, Poole said, "memorable." He noted that it might be "corny" but hit the nail on the head.

"But if I had to pick a second word," he said, "it would be, 'gracious.' Because by the grace of God, I was able to make this shot. If it wasn't for Him, I wouldn't even be in that situation. So, all the credit to Him.'"

There's no doubt that Michigan was down to a prayer in this one, and it could've had no chance at all if Houston's Devin Davis had made both free throws in the final seconds.

But Moritz Wagner rebounded the second missed free throw by Davis and immediately called timeout with 3.6 seconds left and Michigan down by two points. Then coach John Beilein drew up the play designed for just that situation and sent his players out to execute it.

Inbounds passer Isaiah Livers stood 94 feet away from the Michigan basket, happy that nobody covered him on the baseline to distract and limit his options. He spotted guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman open, having slipped Rob Gray, Houston's star guard.

"MAAAHHHM!" shouted Livers to get his teammate's attention.

Livers, a high school baseball pitcher and centerfielder with a strong arm, fired a 40-foot pass to the right side of the court to Abdur-Rahkman.

"I was planning on throwing it to Moe (Wagner)," said Livers. "But I saw they left [Muhammad-Ali] open. If I was being pressured I wouldn't have been able to make that pass because I couldn't have moved. That would've made a big difference. I winged it to him!"

Abdur-Rahkman dribbled twice to his left and, just as he passed midcourt, zipped a two-handed, overhead pass to Poole, located to his right and near the sideline.

"He had the confidence to get it to a freshman!" said Poole. "I'm so grateful to him for that."

Abdur-Rahkman had caught a 60-foot inbounds pass from Livers on a play that began with 3.2 seconds left against Maryland on Jan. 15 in Ann Arbor. Abdur-Rahkman drove to the basket on an angle, was fouled and hit both free throws for a one-point win. But he drew two defenders once he caught this pass.

"I knew they were not going to let me shoot the ball," said Abdur-Rahkman. "So, I looked for J.P. He makes those shots all the time in practice. I knew he could knock it down, and he did."

Poole caught it in front of guard Corey Davis Jr., went up immediately and released the shot, legs parting as if he were doing a jumping jack, and fell to the court.

Poole Game-Winner
The game-winning shot (Eric Bronson/Michigan Photography)

"I was going to fall to see if I got the call," said Poole. "I was down there and kind of saw it go through the rim, but then everybody started reacting, and so I knew it went in! I wasn't really sure until then.

"I got up and ran because I didn't want to get tackled, but then I gave up."

His teammates piled onto him, a mass of happy humanity. They doused Poole with bottles of water when he returned to the locker room after doing TV and press conference interviews.

"Poole's open?" he was asked.

"POOLE'S OPEN!" he confirmed, smiling wide to reveal his braces.

And do you want to know something crazy?

Poole hit wild, desperation shots not once, but twice, in a scrimmage Michigan had last Friday (March 9) at Crisler Center.

"He hit a halfcourt shot in scrimmage at the buzzer," said Beilein. "And then he won -- they were down by two -- and he won the game with a three-pointer at the buzzer as well. So, that's what he does. I mean, he's got a lot of confidence, and he'll tell you about it, too."

Poole hit 2-of-4 treys against Houston and made the only one he took in the NCAA opener with Montana. He'd been 1-for-9 on three-pointers in the Big Ten Tournament, but a confident shooter doesn't flinch in a slump. There's only one way to get out of it, right?

And Beilein knows Poole -- who is 39-for-102 on treys off the bench and is fourth on the team in makes -- has the ice water in his veins necessary for such game-deciding shots.

"I'll tell you, don't question Coach B," said assistant coach DeAndre Haynes. "We run that play in practice and won two games with it this year."

Beilein said, "It's a play we've been running all year long. There are three or four options in it, and we were ready for any option."

Poole snapped the net and won the game, and everyone on the team chased him in a scene of pure glee. Watching that shot go down was a moment none of them will ever forget, and I asked them to recall that crazy instant when the Wolverines went from being eliminated to moving on.

"I was hoping and praying," said Duncan Robinson, whose three three-pointers provided spark in the first half before he fouled out with 2:06 remaining. "When J.P. got a clean look, I said, 'Go!' But I still don't believe it went in. I'm taking time to process it all. I thought, 'Did we win this game?!' It was a blur, and I'm thankful."

Abdur-Rahkman: "I passed it, ran under the basket, and just saw it go in. I went crazy, we all went crazy, and everyone chased him. He has the most swag on the team by far and is probably one of the top ones in the country."

Beilein: "My reaction was astonishment. When I saw him go up, I thought to myself, 'Right guy with the ball. Right guy to shoot this one.' But then when the ball actually went in, I'd never been a part of a game like that. We'd lost games like that to Texas in a Sweet 16 game on a halfcourt shot like that. People have missed shots. I was just really appreciative that we were able to get that one and that one ended up with us one time, putting us in this position."

Haynes said: "I didn't know what to do. I was so emotional. I was so excited it went in, and then we all just stood there. He's just a big-time shot-maker and so tough. He's like my fourth son. I'm so happy for him. This kid has a bright future."

Assistant coach Saddi Washington: "If anyone was going to make that shot, it was going to be J.P. Once they threw that dart to him, and Muhammad ran with that dribble, and got it to him, our chances are pretty good. The Poole was open. And we were just fired up."

Wagner: "It reminded me of the Kam Chatman shot (at the buzzer from behind the arc) against Indiana (that beat the top-seeded team in the 2016 Big Ten Tournament), but this is obviously on a bigger stage. Then I chased Jordan so far that I got tired. I don't know why he did that (laughter). This was very emotional. We all looked at each other like, 'What just happened?'"

Wagner had encouraged Robinson after he fouled out: "I looked at his eyes and his face and I said, 'Duncan, we've got you! You aren't going out like this.'"

And they did. Duncan and Abdur-Rahkman, two pivotal seniors, are playing on.

And when it was over, Wagner showed great compassion in stopping to console Devin Davis, who was sobbing on the court, despondent over missing those crucial free throws.

"Seeing a guy like that," said Wagner, shaking his head. "At the end of the day, it's sports, and it's all love. I feel for both sides. It's very emotional, and this group we have is special."

Michigan (30-7) has won 11 consecutive games, and the only time a Beilein team at any school has won more was Burke's 31-8 team in 2012-13 that lost in the national championship game.

"Moe came up and hugged me," Beilein said of the first person to reach him in the aftermath. "I wasn't looking to hug anybody (at first). I was looking to find out what the officials saw (in a brief video review).

"But when I saw the ball in the air, I saw the (red) light go off. I knew it was going to be good, and I knew they didn't have any time left."

Beilein paused, smiled and added, "Let's keep it going, Let's go another week."

Thanks to Poole, the Wolverines are doing just that.