In CHICAGO — Just two years prior, Michigan managed a mere eight victories, achieving its poorest Big Ten win count (three) dating back to the 1966-67 season. However, due to an influential coach and a revamped lineup, the Wolverines are making their return to the Final Four.
Under the guidance of second-year coach Dusty May and a collection of standout transfers, notably forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who emerged as the top performer in the Midwest regional, Michigan solidified its position as a contender for the national title. The Wolverines, seeded first, initiated a significant first-half drive to establish dominance over the No. 6 seed Tennessee, culminating in a commanding 95-62 victory on Sunday in front of a predominantly maize and blue audience at the United Center.
Marking their 35th triumph, the Wolverines extended their team’s single-season record, and they are set to appear in the Final Four for the first occasion since 2018, making it their fourth presence in the last 11 seasons. Their progression leads them to confront Arizona, the top seed and victor of the West Region, in a national semifinal match scheduled for Saturday in Indianapolis.
Michigan is pursuing its inaugural national championship since 1989, concurrently, May is making his second Final Four appearance in four seasons, having previously guided Florida Atlantic to the same stage in 2023.
Lendeborg, a UAB transfer who garnered Big Ten Player of the Year accolades during his initial year at Michigan, spearheaded the effort, tallying 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and zero turnovers. He achieved the distinction of being the first Wolverines player to register 20 or more points in three successive NCAA tournament contests since Juwan Howard, who subsequently served as Michigan’s coach before May, in 1994.
Additional impetus for Michigan came from transfers, specifically center Aday Mara (UCLA) and guard Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina). Mara contributed 11 points, four rebounds, and two blocks, whereas Cadeau delivered a game-leading 10 assists, earning him the title of the first Big Ten player to log seven or more assists in four consecutive NCAA tournament matchups since previous Wolverines guard Trey Burke in 2013, who was part of a Final Four squad. Charlie May, Dusty’s son, landed a 3-pointer in the concluding minute, with the Wolverines having achieved 90 or more points in all four of their tournament wins.
Following a shaky offensive opening during the initial nine minutes of the game, Michigan asserted dominance on both sides of the court mid-period with a commanding 21-0 run, moving the ball with accuracy and speed, and foregoing adequate shots for superior opportunities. Lendeborg and Mara, despite playing with two fouls, ignited this spree, and Michigan eventually activated its outside shooting with 3-pointers from Cadeau and Roddy Gayle Jr. The Wolverines effectively secured the victory before the halftime break, subsequently commencing the second half with a 21-12 burst to quash any prospect of a miraculous comeback.
Under coach Rick Barnes, Tennessee suffered its third successive defeat in an Elite Eight contest; Barnes had harbored aspirations of guiding the Vols to their inaugural Final Four appearance and his own first since coaching Texas in 2023. Similar to their defeat against Houston last season, the Vols’ prospects were jeopardized in the first half, scoring only 15 points across two quarters against the Cougars. Veteran guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie spearheaded the Vols’ scoring with 21 points in the match, yet Nate Ament, a second-team All-SEC pick, encountered difficulties shooting, and Tennessee’s physically imposing frontcourt grappled with persistent foul issues throughout much of the game.