Washington — As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the party already underway in the stands and on a giddy Michigan bench inside the Verizon Center, Derrick Walton Jr. dropped to one knee on the court, put his head down and said a little prayer.
But he made it a quick one, because Michigan’s senior point guard knew what was coming next. Walton braced for impact as his teammates came hurtling down the court, celebrating Michigan’s first Big Ten tournament championship in two decades — sealed by Sunday’s 71-56 romp over Wisconsin — and the most improbable title run this conference has ever seen.