Kornacki: Matthews Breaks Down Thrilling Buzzer-Beater
1/23/2019 9:38:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Charles Matthews just beat the 30-second shot clock, and the remaining seven-tenths of one second on the game clock expired as his short, baseline jumper floated up and into the net on a high arc.
Then it was complete euphoria for the Wolverines until a review by officials put the celebration on hold for several minutes. However, the basket Matthews scored off a rebound of an errant shot by Ignas Brazdeikis indeed counted, and the University of Michigan men's basketball team, after letting a 13-point lead get away late, had a 59-57 win over Minnesota Tuesday night (Jan. 22).
"I was in the corner for that play," said Matthews. "I knew Iggy was going downhill and I wanted to be around the play. Hopefully, if he did miss it, try to get the rebound. I went back up with it, and I was happy we won. It was a survival game after we'd just lost one.
"I told the team, and Zavier (Simpson) told us as well, that we kind of have to loosen up. We were playing kind of tense out there. We understand we want to have a perfect season, and we want to win, but we've still got to be out there playing with smiles on our faces and having fun and competing, and not just playing so uptight and tense."
Will his buzzer-beater do that for his team?
"I hope so," said Matthews. "Winning definitely always helps. So, I hope this brings some positive things."
He beat the clock, but just barely.
"I hoped I had gotten it off in time," said Matthews, "and thankfully I did. I knew there was time left on the clock and I didn't want to just throw up a crazy shot. I wanted to still follow through with it."
BuZzER BeATeR ??#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/F4Gr5YY5kV
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) January 23, 2019
Wolverine coach John Beilein said: "I saw the ball leave his hand and I saw a buzzer go, and that's usually a good sign. Charles is always around the basket cleaning up stuff."
Brazdeikis, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half, was Beilein's choice to take the final scripted shot.
"We were trying to get a guy who had made foul shots at that time," said Beilein of Brazdeikis, who was 9-for-11 at the line. "We wanted to get Iggy isolated in something so we had enough time to get an offensive rebound. We didn't want to run it too quick. He was a guy who could finish at the rim today. He was the only one that was making plays at times in this game, and we liked his matchup."
Brazdeikis got the ball and drove in from the left.
"I was just looking to attack the basket and score," said Brazdeikis. "I was going to the rim and we had rebounders around. We got it tipped out and Charles ended up making the shot. I was on the baseline and watched him, and it was like slow motion. It swished and I went crazy. I said, 'Oh, my God.' It was a lot of fun seeing that happen. I knew it would count, and I'm really glad he made it."
Asked when he last won a game with a buzzer-beater, Matthews smiled and said, "In high school sometimes. I'm happy, but I didn't play well today. But I'm extremely happy that we won."
However, you will never hear a quieter locker room after such a dramatic win. Beilein spoke to his players in almost hushed tones, pointing out where improvement is needed while also noting what they did well.
His team got the message. No. 5-ranked Michigan (18-1, 7-1 Big Ten) started the season with 17 victories, lost by 10 points Saturday (Jan. 19) at Wisconsin and very easily could've lost back-to-back for the first time in nearly two years.
"We definitely didn't play our best game," said Brazdeikis, "and he let us know about that for sure. We're just going to get back in the gym tomorrow, watch film, get better and improve from there."
Beilein said, "Here's what they're all trying to learn the most: What team basketball really looks like. People are going to guard you different ways, and they have to continue to grow in that area – that we have to continue to work together and find the best shot for Michigan. That's the biggest thing. "
What was the one area where the Wolverines most needed to play better against the Golden Gophers?
"I feel like maybe stay composed in certain areas where there were open players," said Brazdeikis. "But we're a young team. So, we're learning. It's a learning process, but as long as we go as hard as we can, and still have confidence in ourselves, everything else will follow because Coach Beilein is the best coach in North America."
Matthews said of what was most lacking: "Transition defense and post defense. But 'Sleep' Teske helped there (in the post). But our transition could've been a lot better."
Matthews (center) celebrates with his teammates after making the game-winning shot.
For all of his heroics, Matthews scored only seven points, half of his average. Jordan Poole had three points, about 10 below his average. Zavier Simpson still leads the Big Ten in assists-to-turnover ratio (3.2 to 1), but in this game had zero assists and one turnover.
Michigan was 3-for-22 from behind the arc, and let a 10-point lead get away with 4:51 to play by allowing a 10-0 Minnesota run and not scoring until Matthews broke the 57-all tie for the win.
However, two big scorers and a defense Beilein referred to as "an anchor" while forcing 16 turnovers, were enough.
Center Jon Teske kept the Wolverines in the game early, made big plays late, and had 15 points (7-for-8) from the field, five rebounds and three blocks. He's become the team's most consistent player, and has scored in double-figures in four consecutive games.
"I'm so happy we have another way to score with him," said Beilein. "I'm just happy for him because he's such a good kid. And he's learning, 'Boy, I've got some talent here.' That run he made at Wisconsin and he made that catch (to score underneath). I don't think Moe Wagner makes that catch. So, he's really trending in the right direction. He's rebounding and is a defensive force."
And leading scorer Brazdeikis broke out of his two-game scoring slump (11 and 0 points) despite going 1-for-7 on three-pointers (Beilein said they were all good, open shots). Brazdeikis found his way to the basket, though, drawing eight fouls to get himself going.
"I wasn't making shots like I usually did but I stayed invested," said Brazdeikis. "I know how good I am, and my teammates trust me, and I just trust myself. It's coming."
Iggy missed that final shot for all the glory, but Matthews cleaned it up, and Michigan ended up doing just enough to win its 19th consecutive game at Crisler Center.
