The Michigan men's basketball team received a holiday gift yesterday in the form of a huge 62-61 victory over Duke in Durham, N.C.
With the seventh-ranked Wolverines trailing, 61-60, and just over 30 seconds remaining in the game, Duke guard Trajan Langdon turned the ball over to Michigan's Maceo Baston.
The Wolverines brought the ball down the floor and called a 20-second timeout. Michigan moved the ball around the perimeter before junior guard Travis Conlan gave it to sophomore center Robert Traylor at the free- throw line.
Traylor found an open lane, taking a couple steps before jamming home the winning basket with 6.2 seconds left.
The 10th-ranked Blue Devils were unable to get a shot off in their last possession, as senior guard Jeff Capel lost the ball in traffic as time expired.
The Wolverines were able to finish the second half on a 16-3 run despite having their best player, junior forward Maurice Taylor, foul out with more than 10 minutes left in the game.
The victory was as exciting for students as it was for the team.
LSA senior Emily Miller, who has followed the Michigan-Duke rivalry closely over the past few years, watched the game on TV on the ground floor of the Michigan Union.
"I can't even study now, I'm so excited," Miller said. She said she went to the Union intending to keep an eye on the game while studying, but the tension of the close contest and the large crowd it drew to the TV made that somewhat difficult.
"Everyone was cheering and clapping and screaming," Miller said. "It was pretty intense."
LSA first-year student Matthew Neagle was similarly exuberant about the Wolverines' triumphant visit to Duke.
"Michigan really pulled it out there at the end," Neagle said. "A lot of people thought Michigan was overrated.
"But by beating Duke without Maurice Taylor in the game, they really showed that they deserve their rating."
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Robert Traylor hits the game-winning dunk with 6.2 seconds remaining on the clock during yesterday's match-up against Duke in Durham, N.C. The game was a victory for the seventh-ranked Wolverines, who played the last 10 minutes of the second half with their best player, junior Maurice Taylor, on the bench. For more complete coverage see SPORTSMonday, Page 1B.