WATCH: Dusty May, Michigan players react to Nimari Burnett buzzer-beater

ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Wolverines moved to 22-6 and 14-3 in Big Ten play on Thursday night with an 84-82 win over Rutgers at the buzzer on a three-pointer from graduate guard Nimari Burnett.

It was a bittersweet feeling for Michigan, who walked out of Crisler Center relieved to find a way to win, but having to come back from a 13-point deficit to get out by the skin of their teeth. Head coach Dusty May said the game-winner could not have come from a more deserving player.

 ”I’m extremely happy for Nimari,” May said during his postgame press conference. “He deserves to make that play. Give Danny Wolf credit for finding him. They were in a zone, and Nimari was the outlet on the weak side, and Danny found him. His day to day work, preparation, consistency is, in my opinion, the reason you make shots like that.

“We needed it, and for him to play like that down the stretch, was impressive. Because he’s been battling illness like half of college basketball right now. But I thought of his power and determination; he simplified his game. He was shot, faking, and driving. So, overall, I just thought Nimari played a really, really sound basketball game. I thought he was aggressive on the defensive class as well.”

May’s entire press conference from Michigan’s close-call can be viewed in full below, in addition to full sessions with Burnett and teammate Vlad Goldin.

Graduate guard Nimari Burnett

 What he said: “When the ball went through the net, that’s when I knew [it was good]. At the same time, I I told Danny before if you see me and I’m open, pass it to me, I’m going to make it. God came through. … The play was completely botched. That was not the play.  The play was for Danny to lift up, get the catch and drive and make a play or skip to me in the wing corner area.  And he drove and I lifted up and  was able to make a big time shot.”

Graduate center Vlad Goldin

 What he said: “[Nimari] was great. We know he can make threes, but I think what he offers for the team is way more than that. I understand making the game-winning shots is what we’re all gonna talk about, but the stuff that he does daily, in the first minutes, in the last minutes, he stays the same, he stays like.  He states our standard, how you’re supposed to play and he does it like on a high, high level.