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Heartwarming sequence brightens Michigan's fourth straight loss

Tayah Irvin's mother consoles her after her brother took a hard fall (via WatchESPN)

Zak Irvin did more than just cut Michigan's deficit to one Saturday afternoon against SMU when he sank a corner 3-pointer late in the first half.

The sophomore wing also coaxed a smile out his teary-eyed younger sister

TV cameras caught eighth grader Tayah Irvin bawling in the stands after her older brother was undercut by SMU's Keith Frazier as he rose for a layup off a nice backdoor feed from Ricky Doyle. Zak Irvin crashed hard to the ground back-first and pounded his fist on the court in pain for several seconds before rising gingerly to his feet.

Zak Irvin is undercut by SMU's Keith Frazier after scoring a layup via a backdoor feed from Ricky Doyle (via WatchESPN)
Zak Irvin is undercut by SMU's Keith Frazier after scoring a layup via a backdoor feed from Ricky Doyle (via WatchESPN)
Zak Irvin writhes in pain on the floor as SMU's Keith Frazier checks on him (via WatchESPN)
Zak Irvin writhes in pain on the floor as SMU's Keith Frazier checks on him (via WatchESPN)
The sight of her older brother crashing hard to the ground leaves Tayah Irvin in tears in her mother's arms (via WatchESPN)
The sight of her older brother crashing hard to the ground leaves Tayah Irvin in tears in her mother's arms (via WatchESPN)

Scary as the fall looked when it happened, Irvin proved he was OK when he chased down the long rebound of his missed free throw. Eventually the ball came back to him in the corner, enabling him to bury a 3-pointer and singlehandedly deliver a five-point possession.

After rebounding his own missed free throw, Irvin sinks a corner 3-pointer to finish off a five-point possession in which he scored each of Michigan's points. (via WatchESPN)
After rebounding his own missed free throw, Irvin sinks a corner 3-pointer to finish off a five-point possession in which he scored each of Michigan's points. (via WatchESPN)

Seeing Zak go from flat on his back to knocking down a 3-pointer left Tayah Irvin an emotional wreck. The eighth grader buried her face in her hands and then her shirt out of relief that her older brother was OK.

Tayah Irvin is overcome with emotion after watching Zak shake off his fall and bury a corner 3-pointer (via WatchESPN)
Tayah Irvin is overcome with emotion after watching Zak shake off his fall and bury a corner 3-pointer (via WatchESPN)

Tayah Irvin had no idea ESPN's cameras had been tracking her throughout the whole sequence untils calls and texts began to arrive. Only then did she crack a beaming smile in response to her newfound fame.

Tayah Irvin finally cracks a smile as texts pour in informing her of her newfound fame (via WatchESPN)
Tayah Irvin finally cracks a smile as texts pour in informing her of her newfound fame (via WatchESPN)

Alas for Michigan, there wasn't much else to smile about Saturday. The Wolverines suffered its fourth straight loss, falling 62-51 to SMU despite Zak Irvin's 17 points.

There's a good chance Saturday won't be Tayah's final moment in the TV spotlight. The eighth grader is a talented basketball prospect who already received her first recruiting letter from a college last May.

For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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