The No. 3-seed Michigan Wolverines just beat the No. 9-seed Florida State 58-54 in an Elite Eight game that wasn’t very pretty.
Michigan shot 38.8% from the field and 32.2% from three-point range, while the Seminoles were even worse at 32.2% from the field and 23.5% from behind the arc. Only four players in the game scored at least 10 points, and Michigan’s Charles Matthews was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points.
But Michigan doesn’t care how ugly it was (and head coach John Beilein is surely proud of their defensive effort, at least); a win’s a win and they’re going to San Antonio to play in the Final Four. The victory was also a program-record 32nd win on the season, a pretty notable accomplishment for a storied program.
WEST. REGION. CHAMPS. #GoBlue | #FinalFour pic.twitter.com/D4moIjCypV
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 25, 2018
Michigan’s going back to the Final Four pic.twitter.com/dPsfigXDSW
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) March 25, 2018
The Final Four berth is Michigan’s first since 2013, and their eighth in program history.
And in the Final Four, the Wolverines will meet the tournament’s Cinderella, No. 11-seed Loyola-Chicago. The Ramblers continued their stunning run with their best performance yet in a 78-62 win over Kansas State on Saturday. Vegas has Michigan opening as a 6-point favorite vs Loyola:
EARLY VEGAS LINE (Final Four)
Michigan -6 over Loyola-Chicago— RJ Bell (@RJinVegas) March 25, 2018
Loyola is 1-2 all-time against Michigan. They haven’t played since Feb. 1, 1969, a 112-100 Ramblers win. #MarchMadness #FinalFour
— Brian Sandalow (@BrianSandalow) March 25, 2018
So, we know that Loyola-Chicago and Michigan will represent half of the Final Four, and we’ll find out the additional two teams on Sunday after the Kansas-Duke and Villanova-Texas Tech games.
Here’s some more of what Twitter had to say about Michigan’s win:
Congratulations on the big
win & trip to the Final Four! Fun to watch our team, expertly coached, extremely talented & great Team chemistry! Familar territory for Michigan teams coached by @johnbeilein. Proud of the way the fans & the team represented our great university. — Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) March 25, 2018
John Beilein is one of the best coaches in the country. Period. What Michigan has done the last two years in nothing short of remarkable. @umichbball
— Dan Shulman (@DShulman_ESPN) March 25, 2018
Duncan Robinson finished with 7 points. Michigan improves to 28-0 when he scores 6+ points this season.
— Drew Hallett (@DrewCHallett) March 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/977751687787155456
https://twitter.com/MichSportsZone/status/977746649199063040
Michigan’s Duncan Robinson is headed to San Antonio for the Final Four.
Those names have a pretty good track record in that city. pic.twitter.com/5TClbbwv9e
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 25, 2018
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