From Fab to Drab in a Half : Michigan: Led by the five freshmen, Wolverines shoot 29% after intermission, then don’t congratulate Blue Devils.

Michigan forward Chris Webber covered his face with a towel and sobbed after Duke embarrassed the Wolverines, 71-51, in the NCAA championship game Monday night before 50,379 at the Metrodome to become the first school since UCLA in 1973 to win back-to-back NCAA titles.

Webber, Michigan’s brash talking freshman, was humble after Duke outscored Michigan, 41-20, during the second half.

“I was thinking on the bench about the last time I felt this bad was when a friend died,” Webber said. “That was worse than this, but life is a lot much more painful than a basketball game. But as far as sports . . . this was it. I knew if I lost, it would hurt.

“I really don’t care about what people think of me as an individual, but I care about what people think of the team and I don’t want them to think of us as second best, that we’re not good enough, and I think that’s what people’s perceptions of us will be.”

Michigan’s Fab Five freshmen became the Frustrated Five as the Wolverines were outscored, 23-6, in the final 7:06. Leading, 31-30, at halftime, Michigan shot 29% during the second half, making nine of 31 shots. Michigan missed all nine of its three-point shots during the second half.

“I felt good about our chances at halftime,” Michigan Coach Steve Fisher said. “Even though I’m sure Duke was saying the same thing, we felt our defense contributed to them shooting poorly and having 12 turnovers. In the second half, we found it difficult to get any kind of offensive flow going. We struggled to get good shots, and when we had good shots we couldn’t get them to go down. That can’t happen against a great team like Duke.

“Our kids fought long and hard for 40 minutes and are crushed. But you should be (crushed) when you get this far and don’t walk away with a championship. But we had a great run.”

A member of the Duke student section held up a sign that read: “Only the Beatles are FAB!” late in the second half, and his assessment of Michigan’s freshman proved correct.

Freshman guard Jimmy King missed seven of 10 shots and freshman point guard Jalen Rose missed seven of 12 shots and had four turnovers. Freshman center Juwan Howard missed five of nine shots and freshman forward Ray Jackson missed his one shot. Webber made six of 12 shots, but he missed four of seven shots during the second half as Michigan scored a season-low 51 points. It was the second-lowest point total in an NCAA title game since 1949.

“It’s frustrating to get this far and not achieve your goal, but it’s also frustrating to be sitting at home watching the game,” Rose said.

As did the Detroit Pistons, who walked off the court without congratulating the Chicago Bulls for winning the 1991 NBA Eastern Conference finals, Michigan left without congratulating Duke.

“They know we’re happy for them and wish them the best,” Webber said. “But I don’t want to go to their huddle and say, ‘What’s happening?’ ”

Fisher said the snub wasn’t intentional.

“It was no disrespect to Duke,” Fisher said. “You react in certain situations out of disappointment. Our kids are tremendously proud, and they know we got beat. It was tough because we all came here expecting to take home a national championship, and they were crying on the bench.”