Globetrotter Tyrone Brown shows off his skills

The triumphs continued, until Michigan turned the Globetrotters' world upside down on Monday.

Six points behind at half-time, the university side rallied in the second half with Charlie Bell (21) leading five players in double figures.

Alex Sanders had scored 11 points to help the Globetrotters grab a 35-29 lead at the break.

But Michigan creeped ahead and held on in the final minute as the gap was twice closed to two points.

The Globetrotters had come into the match in fine shape, seeing off medium-sized college champions Metro State on Friday.

Movie

Monday's shock result was their first defeat since a 91-85 loss to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Legendary All-Stars. They were last beaten by a college side on 15 April, 1962.

But all is not lost for the Globetrotters, who are expected to bounce back when they meet the Purdue Boilermakers on Wednesday.

And their star is as high as ever in America, where the team is firmly established as part of mainstream US sports and entertainment.

They are the subject of a future Disney Broadway musical called Hoopz, and a Globetrotters movie with Columbia Pictures is planned.

And that is bound to have a happy ending.

As for Meadowlark Lemon, he is a travelling evangelist, no doubt continuing to spread the philosophy of entertaining basketball while baulking at the thought of defeat.