Michigan's top 5 tournament games

The Michigan Wolverines' magical tournament ride continues Thursday when they take on the Oregon Ducks in this year's Sweet 16, and it took a couple of memorable performances last weekend to get to Kansas City.

Michigan is certainly no stranger to memorable March Madness moments, and today we'll count down the top 5 tournament games in the program's history.

5. The Rematch - March 18, 2017

The last time Michigan faced Rick Petino's Louisville Cardinals they walked off the court in defeat in the 2013 National Title Game. Last Sunday's rematch was supposed to be no different due to the plethora of physical and athletic big men at Petino's disposal.

Michigan's strength all year has been their perimeter game and ability to neutralize opponents with the three point shot, and was widely considered their only shot to pull the upset.

But this game was memorable because the Wolverines did the exact opposite.

After hitting a team-record 16 3's in a wild 92-91 shootout in their first round game against Oklahoma State, the Wolverines stepped outside of themselves to erase a nine point second half deficit and beat the Cardinals at their own game with a gritty post-dominate performance.

A memorable maize and blue-collar tournament win over a physically imposing opponent.

4. Introducing...The Fab Five - March 29, 1992

A young, brash, and ultra-talented group of Michigan freshmen entered the 1992 NCAA tournament with much fanfare and little expectation. The 6 seed Wolverines caught a couple of breaks and found themselves a game away from the Final Four.

Their opponent? The number 1 seed and hated rival Ohio State Buckeyes led by Big Ten Player of the Year Jim Jackson. The team that swept the Wolverines that year during conference play.

Michigan's Fab Five (Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson) battled tooth-and nail with the heavily favored Buckeyes to squeak out a 75-71 overtime victory. Images of Howard hitting the "cabbage patch" dance at the final buzzer remains etched in the memory of Michigan fans worldwide.

It was the signature moment in the rise of the cultural phenomenon...and was the first time that an all-freshmen starting five made it to the Final Four.

3. The Comeback - March 22, 1993

The Fab Five were no longer freshmen and no longer flying under the radar when they entered the 1993 NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines were now a number 1 seed and heavy favorite to return to the Final Four.

UCLA, their second round opponent, had other plans.

The Bruins were essentially playing a home game in Arizona that day, and jumped out to a lead that ballooned to as much as 19 points.

The Wolverines clawed their way back (no pun intended) to force overtime behind Chris Webber's 27 point, 14 rebound performance, but often-overshadowed Ray Jackson made this one memorable.

With the game tied in the final seconds of overtime Jackson tipped-in a Jalen Rose miss at the buzzer to stun the crowd and eventually advance to their second straight title game.

2. The Comeback II - March 30, 2013

This game holds a special place in my heart because I was in the stands to witness this with my own two eyes. The heavily favored number 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks dominated the game for 38 minutes against Michigan in their 2013 Sweet 16 match up.

Then...point guard and National Player of the Year Trey Burke made himself a Michigan legend.

The Wolverines, who were down by five with 21 seconds left to play, inexplicably stormed back behind a nifty drive to the basket by Burke, a missed free throw by Kansas on the front end of a 1 and 1, and a 30 foot three point heave by Burke to force overtime.

Michigan held on in the extra period for an improbable come from behind victory. The most thrilling basketball game I've ever attended on any level.

1. Cutting down the nets - April 3, 1989

After firing their head coach heading into the big dance, Michigan entered the 1989 NCAA Tournament with assistant coach Steve Fisher at the helm. The Wolverines rattled off five straight victories behind one of the best tournament performances in NCAA history from Glenn Rice to face Seton Hall in the title game.

A nip and tuck affair ended with Michigan guard Rumeal Robinson hitting two clutch free throws to seal the victory and give the Wolverines their first and only National title.

follow @plcolter








.

Michigan: Redefining March Madness

March Madness, one of the most celebrated times of the year for die hard and casual fans alike. Watching the Selection Show to see where and who your team plays...filling out brackets...watch parties...

And of course...gambling.

The month-long extravaganza remains one of the country's most exciting sports events because of it's unpredictability. You're more likely to get struck by lightning than to pick every game correctly.

It's the teams that no one saw coming that puts the Madness in March, and to prove that point look no further than the Michigan Wolverines.

Six weeks ago the Wolverines were hovering around the cellar of the Big Ten and had a losing record in the conference. Not only were they in danger of missing the big dance, they were in danger of missing the second-fiddle NIT as well.

Today Michigan is the Big Ten Tournament Champion, capping off a week that gives March Madness a whole new meaning.

For starters, a power outage on campus prevented Michigan from practicing with lights prior to leaving for Washington DC.

The next day a horrifying plane malfunction not only cost the Wolverines a day of travel, but it could have cost them their lives.

Talk about madness...

So much madness that the team held a vote on if they would even travel at all after head coach John Beilein gave his kids the option of forfeiting the game.

The team voted to play, but the madness was just beginning.

Michigan literally arrived in DC just before tipoff of their noon opener against Illinois, and had to play in practice jerseys because their luggage was still on the plane that failed to lift off.

When was the last time you saw that?

After steamrolling through their first opponent the Wolverines faced Purdue, the regular season conference champion and number one seed in the tournament.

Michigan overcame a nine point deficit to upset the Boilermakers in a thrilling overtime victory.

Anyone would have given the Wolverines a pass for bowing out gracefully in Saturday's semifinal matchup against a tough and physical Minnesota team that was playing as good as anyone in the country the last month of the season.

After all, those Michigan kids had to be physically and emotionally drained, right?

Not on senior point guard Derrick Walton's watch.

Led by his career-high 29 points the Wolverines survived a game comeback attempt by Minnesota to advance to the title game.

And today the Wisconsin Badgers simply ran into a buzz saw as Michigan, with destiny seemingly on their side, pulled away late to earn their first official Big Ten Tournament Championship.

It was the fist time in Big Ten history that a seed as low as Michigan (8) won it all. And they did so by knocking off the 4th, 2nd, and number one overall seed.

Ironically enough it was Walton who voted to not re-board the plane and forfeit earlier this week. Today he is the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Hollywood would reject this script for not being believable.

Michigan will now head into the big dance winners of ten of their last twelve games. They are also riding a five game win streak after posting four of them in the last four days.

The 7 seed Wolverines will play Oklahoma State (10) on Friday in Indianapolis, and regardless of the outcome they have already redefined the meaning of March Madness.

follow @plcolter