Duke 73, Michigan 71
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WWJ/AP) - A heartbreaking loss for the Wolverines as they pull within one point in the final minute but lose to the Duke Blue Devils 73-71 on Sunday during NCAA tournament play.
Darius Morris scored 16 points to lead the eighth-seeded Wolverines (21-14). They trailed by 15 with 10:51 to play but clawed within one point twice in the final 90 seconds.
Then, Smith missed a free throw with 8.7 seconds left to give Michigan one last chance, but Morris' runner in the lane with 2 seconds left bounced off the back iron.
Speaking on the Tony Ortiz Post-Game Show on WWJ Newsradio 950, UM head coach, John Beilein: "We were so close to being were we needed to be," says Beilein. "In the long run they (Duke) just made the plays that were the big time plays."
Nolan Smith scored 24 points and top- seeded Duke held off a late rally to beat Michigan and give Mike Krzyzewski the 900th career victory.
Kyle Singler added 13 points for the Blue Devils (32-4). They shot 51 percent, never trailed in the second half and advanced to the round of 16 for the 12th time in 14 years.
Smith grabbed the rebound at the buzzer, sealing Duke's trip to Anaheim, Calif., for the regional semifinals Thursday night.
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