by Mark Snyder, USA TODAY Sports

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The end of Michigan’s Sunday loss to Ohio State was a study in late-game decision-making.

Michigan had slowly rallied from a 21-point first-half deficit to tie the game at 46 with six minutes to play, but had taken and missed a few ill-advised three-pointers in the following minutes.

That put the Wolverines down 52-50 in the final 20 seconds, and the ball was in Trey Burke’s hands. Burke ended up shooting a three-pointer late in the shot clock with 16 seconds remaining, one that entered the basket and popped out, allowing Ohio State to get the rebound and shoot free throws to win the game.

Michigan coach John Beilein was asked Monday night on his radio show Inside Michigan Basketball about the decision to shoot a three-pointer in that spot instead of going for the tie.

“There was no strategy there, we were trying to get a really good shot,” Beilein said. “We were trying to get a really good shot. If it’s a three, that’s fine. I’ve done that before, on the road in particular. The longer the game is, the more that the home team might have an advantage. So we’ve done that before.

“There was not a strategy involved. We were trying to run a particular play, either get to the rim, get a dropoff, get somebody open on the perimeter. None of that happened. So we’re blessed to have a guy that can get his own shot almost any time he wants. It turned out to be a really good shot. He’s one of the guys we want the ball in his hands late in the game. He took a good shot and it almost went down.”

That almost may have been the difference between completing the comeback and sitting undefeated and No. 1 today versus breaking down the first loss of the year.

Beilein focused as much on the misguided attempts leading up to Burke’s shot as that one itself.

“We got all the way back, but I wish we had a little bit better shot selection down the stretch,” Beilein said. “We did have a shot-clock shot, but … [For more on Michigan coach won't question Try Burke's shot selection, click here.]