95 seconds. That was the length of time on the walk from Michigan's locker room at Lucas

Oil Stadium to the top of the five-step climb up to the basketball floor at the center

of the home of the Indianapolis Colts. At least for me, as I filmed it being the first timer

that I was to the final four, basically acting like a tourist. It, like so many aspects of the week in Indy, went by in a flash, seemingly much faster than 95 seconds.

Now, imagine that time in reverse after a season ending loss.

That is what a few members of the 2026 Wolverine staff endured in Houston three years prior, when San Diego State's buzzer-beater

halted Florida Atlantic's remarkable run one game and one point shy of a matchup, coincidentally,

with Connecticut. Drew Williamson was one of those owls-turned Wolverines who made both walks

first passed an elated Aztec's team.

Quote, that was the longest walk to a locker room I've ever had, end quote, and he'll

have more in our conversation in a bit.

So many memories from Indianapolis still stick with me, but one of them was just how business

like the locker room felt after Williamson,

Dusty May, and a few other FAU staffers and the rest of this Wolverines team,

got some semi-final Saturday redemption in the form of a 40-minute domination of the only

other one seat to reach the final four, and then the ensuing walk back to the locker room.

Now, the locker room was not quite the road game at Penn State vibe,

where a two-point victory had never felt more like a 15-point loss.

But the level of celebration late on that Saturday night

rivaled some of Michigan's most humdrum wins.

It was almost like Oregon,

where the prevailing theme was more about quickly packing to head

...