Burnett's 3-Pointer Beats Rutgers in 'Pool(e) Party' Game at Crisler

The inbounds pass came with 3.6 seconds left -- the identical time remaining before Livers inbounded the ball on the play ending with Poole beating Houston with his NCAA Tournament trey

Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Photography

Nimari Burnett told teammate Danny Wolf in the huddle preceding his heroics: “I’m going to make it.”

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Dusty May didn’t like how his Michigan team’s last possession of the game was shaping up.

So, he called a timeout with 3.6 seconds remaining to draw up the winning play. Nimari Burnett, the safety valve option if Danny Wolf couldn’t get a good shot, got the pass from Wolf and drained a 25-footer for an 84-82 win Thursday night over Rutgers.

Brian Boesch’s call on the Michigan Radio Network: “Three days after his worst game of the year – Nimari Burnett walks it off!”

Never mind that he was still recovering from the flu.

Never mind that he had 2 points on 1-for-7 shooting and 4 turnovers to 2 assists in that last game against Nebraska.

Burnett had a “Pool(e) Party” to attend.

The Wolverines began having these annual parties in honor of Jordan Poole, who nailed a long trey to beat Houston, 64-63, at the buzzer after Isaiah Livers threw a 40-foot pass to guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, who dribbled across mid-court before feeding Poole.

Only 3.6 seconds remained before that inbounds pass that kept Michigan alive on its road to the Final Four.

And, do you want to know something crazy? There were exactly 3.6 seconds left when Roddy Gayle, Jr., inbounded to Wolf, who passed to Burnett, who let it fly with Dylan Harper of Rutgers closing fast with both arms up and extended.

Swish!

Want another comparison?

Both Poole and Burnett went up for the winning shot, legs splayed widely apart, putting so much effort into their lift-offs.

I’m hoping Poole, averaging 21.0 points for the Washington Wizards, got to see Burnett hit his clutch shot that made the “Pool(e) Party” a splashing success.

Burnett, who finished with 20 points, told Boesch after the game that the key to scoring 14 in the second half and the game-winner was a matter of “just staying ready.”

Then he added this about a conversation in the team huddle before the play: “I told Danny, ‘If you see me, I’m open, and I’m going to make it.’ ”

He was a man of his word.

Center Vlad Goldin was quite simply the man in this one – with game-highs of both 22 points and 11 rebounds.

“[Goldin] has no agenda other than finding a way to win,” said May.

The No. 15 Wolverines (22-6, 14-3 Big Ten) came back from a 12-point deficit in the second half to win and tie Michigan State for first place in the Big Ten with three games remaining.

The last nine Michigan wins have all been nail-biters. It won every one of them by 4 or fewer points. The last victory by more points was a 91-75 win over Washington on Jan. 12.

“You can look in the eyes of our guys and they know they are going to find a way to win,” said May of what he sees in late-game huddles.

Boesch asked Burnett, a graduate student from Chicago, if he was having fun.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” said Burnett. “…But I’m stressed.”

His wide-eyed, gleeful teammates chased Burnett down the Crisler Center court to celebrate his heroics.

Those Wolverines of seven seasons ago, led by team star Moritz Wagner, chased Poole down the court and then they circled back toward the basket where he’d hit the shot in Wichita.

While that dagger shot sent Michigan to the Sweet 16 in Los Angeles, will this shot be pivotal in these Wolverines winning the Big Ten?

Stay tuned.