Michigan was the winner in one of the most exciting final gamesin NCAA history. But this was the kind of game in which there wasno loser.
I was at the last overtime championship game in 1963 when Loyoladefeated Cincinnati, but I can tell you it didn't have anywhere nearthe excitement this game did. It wasn't just that the crowd wasn'tas big. The spectator interest here was unbelievable. It's trite tosay there was an electricity to this game, but that's what it was.
Seton Hall, a school little known lately for basketball, playeda tremendous game. Watching the first 10 minutes, I thoughtMichigan was a far superior team. The Wolverines had Seton Hall downby 12 in the second half, but then coach P.J. Carlesimo startedmaking all the right changes. The Pirates patiently whittled awayat the lead. They didn't panic, they came back.
When Seton Hall was down, John Morton took over the game for histeam. He made 23 of the last 29 points for Seton Hall. The onlyshot he seemed to miss was the second free throw of the one-and-onelate in the game that might have given the Pirates the championship.
As it turned out, the free throws that Michigan's RumealRobinson made in the last three seconds were the difference, just asfree throw shooting always is in close games. It took a lot of gutsfor the official to call the foul against Seton Hall's Gerald Greeneat that stage of the game.
I thought Michigan coach Steve Fisher used his benchtremendously, using Mike Griffin for defense and Sean Higgins foroffense. That kind of coaching in the end put Michigan in front.When Higgins made four crucial free throws near the end of the game,he made Fisher look like a genius.
If Fisher isn't the new coach at Michigan, Bo Schembechler willbe hanged in effigy. Bo said after the game he'll interview Fisherfor the job. The way Fisher is riding, maybe he'll interview Bo.
Now Fisher will have the most unusual coaching job in history.He's 6-0, he started at the top and he has no place to go. Mostcoaches go a lifetime without getting to where he did.
Of course, most coaches never have the players Fisher did. GlenRice is one of the best offensive players in the country. He'sdifferent from Sean Elliott of Arizona, who can create situations.Rice plays well without the ball and frees himself off the picks.Robinson is an ideal point guard who can penetrate, dish off andscore. And Michigan's inside men, Terry Mills and Loy Vaught, arefantastic.
When I saw Michigan at the start of the season in the MauiClassic, I thought they were a tremendous team. They won there, thenthey lost some games. But in the tournament, they were outstanding.
Igive great credit, too, to Seton Hall. Here is a school thatwasn't on national television once this season - but you can be sureit will be from now on. This school is going to come out of the BigEast shadows of Georgetown and Syracuse.
Both teams earned their way to the championship game.
The final game was a wonderful ending to a great season, andcharacteristic of it, too - no domination by either team, just amatter of who was going to win. If they had played one more minute,maybe Seton Hall would have won.
To be honest, it was the kind of game I really wished could haveended in a tie.
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