The Wolverine

April 2017

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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22 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2017 M ichigan head coach John Beilein and his players had plenty of reason to celebrate their 75-55 win over Illinois to open the Big Ten Tournament March 9 and all that followed. But basketball barely scratched the surface. They were completing a 24-hour odyssey in which the DC-9 jet they originally boarded for the flight to Washington, D.C., never made it into the air. The jet, amid winds that gusted as high as 50 miles per hour in Michigan that day, began to lift off slightly from Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti. It slammed back down to the tarmac, skidded off the runway, through a fence and over a ditch, finally plowing its way to a stop. Coaches, players, cheerleaders, band members and others in the traveling party scrambled to get off the jet, out emergency exits and down inflated chutes. After an extra night spent locally, Michigan's contingent made an early morning flight into the Washing- ton area. The Wolverines played in practice clothes, their uniforms still stowed in the cargo bay of a badly damaged jet that was still under in- vestigation. When the game was over, Beilein and the players reflected on the har- rowing experience. "It's been an incredible 24 hours," Beilein said. "At this time 24 hours ago, we were board aborting a takeoff at a couple hundred miles an hour. What these guys have been through the last 24 hours has been incredible. It's been bonding. It's been emotional for many of them. "It's made them so resilient. They played and connected today like they were connected yesterday when we got a hundred-some people off an airplane it seemed like in two min- utes. "We just feel really blessed today to be in this situation, not only to play, but win against a good Illinois team." Senior wing Zak Irvin noted the Wolverines had some hurdles to overcome before taking on the Illini. "I think the hardest part for all of us was getting back on the plane," Irvin said. "Once we landed, every- body was fine. We were excited to get back on the court, get everything back to normal." Beilein's 210th career victory with Michigan, a program record passing the 209 of Johnny Orr, was obviously hard earned. Beilein noted things weren't at all normal for a night, fol- lowing the crash. "We had a couple of counselors at school come visit them," Beilein said. "We're not talking basketball until tomorrow. I think after the anthem, they came back in, I could tell we were going to be ready. "But it was very quiet everywhere. I wasn't going to shout at them, 'What's wrong with you guys?' It's a big game. It wasn't a big game any- more. It was an important game, but being safe [was more important]. "They're out there hugging their families hopefully pretty soon. It's going to be good." Beilein praised all for how they re- acted in the crisis. He compared it to competition, the Wolverines and everyone involved posting their big- gest win ever. "When I thought about that to- day, it was like a game," Beilein said. "You know, when I watch other peo- ple coach, my son included and great friends, I get so nervous. I want them to win. "When I'm in the game, I'm at work. I felt we were at work yester- day. It wasn't about it being emo- tional. What's happening? It's going to be, 'How can we get everybody off this plane?' "The engine is still running. There's gas fumes coming in on everybody. When the engine finally shut down, there was this big pop. I said, 'Oh, my goodness.' "But everybody was away from the plane. We were good. "I don't think there was anything other than, all right, like a game situation, what everybody does in their workday every day, they're in a crisis. They don't cry, sob, get emo- tional. They try to find the answer, the solution to this issue that we're involved in." They found it, and charged into March with more madness than any team in the nation. ZAK IRVIN FINDS HIS STROKE For much of the year — certainly a good portion of the middle of the Big Ten season — senior wing Zak Irvin had been the scapegoat for Michi- gan's troubles. He struggled badly in a midseason loss at Michigan State after battling the flu, and many won- dered if he'd ever return to form. Senior teammate and good friend Derrick Walton Jr. wasn't among them. "Regardless of whether his shot is going or not, I think he's a hell of a two-way guard. I don't think he gets enough credit," Walton said. "Go-   MICHIGAN BASKETBALL Players, Coaches Thankful After Plane Crash The basketball team's March 8 flight was derailed by high wind gusts and forced the squad to travel to Washington, D.C., the morning of its noon game against Illinois. PHOTO VIA TWITTER.COM/CAMPSANDERSON

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