Wagner feasted when Michigan needed it most

John Beilein's recruiting trip to Germany to chat with Moritz Wagner was about as straight-forward as they come as the two discussed home cooking and quality Berlin hospitality.

"I asked for a big German dinner and a beer," Beilein told Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post. "I got both of them. That was it."

While the dinner and beer were likely delicious, the commitment from the centerpiece of a national championship-bound team was the most important thing Beilein secured during the visit.

That's never been more evident than it was on Saturday night in San Antonio.

At a time when the Wolverines needed him most, Wagner stepped up in the biggest way possible, dominating the overmatched Cinderella of Loyola Chicago to see Michigan through to Monday's final.

With his final numbers of 24 points and 15 rebounds against the Ramblers, Wagner joined some elite company that might point to future NBA success for the German.

With the remainder of his teammates - outside of Charles Matthews - struggling mightily, Wagner took matters into his own hands in a brilliant performance that showcased a low-post game rarely seen. With the Wolverines ice cold from the field, the 6-foot-11 forward ripped down a career-high 15 rebounds, including six on the offensive end.

The Big Ten champions were a disaster in the opening half, scoring just 22 points to trail by seven. It would have been much worse if not for Wagner's influence, as the junior had 11 points and 10 rebounds in the frame.

The Wolverines faced a 10-point deficit in the second half, but Wagner sparked the comeback and took over down the stretch. After canning a triple to tie the contest, the lanky 20-year-old showed off some incredible court vision, finding a cutting Matthews with a slick left-handed feed to push the lead to four with under six minutes to play.

While Wagner's dominance on the glass was mostly in the first half, he saved his biggest rebound of the contest for the second frame, tipping in a putback while being fouled to extend Michigan's lead to six with just five minutes to play.

What followed shortly afterward was the dagger, a top of the key 3-point splash to give Michigan an eight-point lead that would stretch to 12 for the final margin of victory.

Wagner's performance has to be a welcomed sight for Beilein, as his leading scorer struggled in a narrow Elite Eight win over Florida State, making just 3-of-11 shots from the floor.

Those days appear to be well behind him given Saturday's performance, and if Wagner can repeat his brilliance on Monday, a celebratory German dinner and beer might be in the cards for his 21st birthday on April 26.