LOS ANGELES — As the seconds wane toward another Michigan win, Jordan Poole jumps with each tick of the clock. When the buzzer sounds, he bounces across the court, accosting every teammate he encounters with a high-five or a hug. Against Houston in the round of 32, Poole's buzzer-beater was the reason Michigan survived to play in the second weekend of the 2018 NCAA tournament. In the Wolverines' Elite Eight victory over Florida State, he spent all but two minutes on the bench. But the way he streaks around the floor, you'd think he's the team's MVP.
In some ways, he is.