The University of Michigan men’s basketball team claimed its first national championship since 1989, and its second title in school history, after knocking off the University of Connecticut 69-63.
Michigan’s title was the culmination of a historic season as the team set a program record with 37 wins and won the Big Ten regular season title.
The Wolverines did it despite the fact that they struggled from the field throughout. They shot 38% from the field and 2-15 from the 3-point line.
“If you’d told me we would shoot it this poorly and [be] dominated on the glass and still find a way to win, I don’t know if I would have believed you,” head coach Dusty May said in an interview with ESPN. “This team just found a way all season.”
Despite the cold shooting, Michigan was able to dominate the point as they outscored UConn 36-22 in paint points. They also kept the Huskies in foul trouble as UConn committed 22 fouls, which led to Michigan shooting 25-28 from the line.
Elliot Cadeau led the way offensively for Michigan with 19 points on 5-11 shooting. Cadeau was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
“I’m just so proud of myself, where I came from,” Cadeau said to ESPN. “Last year, I was really down on myself, a lot of people doubted me, and I’m just so proud of myself for me to be able to say I was the Most Outstanding Player and win a national championship at the same time.”
Yaxel Lendeborg added another 13 points despite playing through an ankle injury he suffered in the Final Four. Lendeborg struggled throughout the first half as he shot 1-5 from the floor in 20 minutes of action.
“I feel awful, I feel super weak right now,” Lendeborg said at halftime. “I can’t make anything… I played really soft in that first half.”
The second half belonged to Michigan as they continued to score in the paint and UConn began to struggle from behind the arc. The Huskies missed 13 3-pointers over the course of the second half.
UConn’s attempt to win its third national championship in four years came up short but still finished the season 34-6.
“Just what the group was able to overcome throughout the year, the growth, the way they played in March, just the whole experience that this team has given the coaches, the fan base, to play to the last — to be one of the last two teams standing,” Hurley said.
UConn was led by senior Alex Karaban, who led the team with 17 points. Karaban now ends his college career as the winningest player in school history with 126 wins and two national championships.
“You know, blessed that I’ve been able to wear this jersey for the longest amount of time possible, the max amount, the max amount of minutes, the max amount of games this season,” Karaban said.
