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The Michigan Wolverines are finally men’s basketball national champions again, defeating the UConn Huskies, 69-63, to finish off a thrilling NCAA Tournament run at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night.
It’s the first time Michigan has won since 1989, and only the second time in program history they’ve called themselves champions.
Meanwhile, the Huskies were looking to win their third title in the last four tournaments, but their shooting ultimately didn’t go their way.
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Elliot Cadeau celebrates during the first half of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball national championship game against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
While both teams’ offenses came into this game operating like a machine, this game’s kickoff was a low-scoring affair. Michigan only held a 33-29 first-half lead at the buzzer, but it wasn’t Yaxel Lendeborg leading the way in the scoring department for the Wolverines.
The Michigan star, who is playing with a sprained left MCL and left ankle that occurred in the Final Four win over Arizona, was just 1 of 5 shooting for four points in the first half. It was Morez Johnson Jr. (10 points) and Elliot Cadeau (seven points) who found the rhythm for the Wolverines.
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But it didn’t help that Michigan was scoreless from beyond the arc and shooting just 37 percent from the field. Meanwhile, UConn wasn’t doing itself any favors either.
The Huskies shot just 33 percent in the first half, with Alex Karaban hitting two of his five three-point attempts. Solo Ball, who was spotted in a walking boot entering the game with “kind of a sprained foot,” according to head coach Dan Hurley, had eight points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field.
While they were down, UConn was certainly playing the type of game they wanted against Michigan – a tough battle, especially on the glass. Michigan showed its prowess by gaining momentum and sprinting offensively, dominating its opponents throughout the year, including this NCAA Tournament.
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines dribbles during the first half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
However, the Huskies know that their abilities to scratch and claw for 40 minutes allow them to never let an opponent feel comfortable. Just ask the Duke Blue Devils what happened in the Final Four.
The Huskies had the same behavior in the second half, although it didn’t help that they took a page from the Wolverines’ playbook in the first half – they couldn’t find the shot from distance. UConn was desperate to score three points, but despite open looks, they couldn’t knock one down as Michigan’s lead eventually grew to 11 points after Cadeau finally broke his team’s seal on the opposite end, burying a three-pointer to get a double-digit lead.
But Hurley fired up the crowd as the Huskies never gave up, cutting the lead to five with less than nine minutes left in the game. Lendeborg, however, after shaking his head on the bench because he was not playing the match he hoped for in the national championship, stepped in upon his return.
Lendeborg saw a sweet pass from Cadeau in transition and cut the lead to 11 with a tough layup, making the score 56-45 with less than six minutes to play. He would also come in clutch with two more points after a three-pointer from Braylon Mullins.
Once again, the Huskies didn’t give up, as Mullins finally found his shot from beyond the arc, bringing Michigan’s lead back to single digits with a follow-up three-pointer on Lendeborg’s layups. But, as tough as the Huskies were, the Wolverines always seemed to have the answer in this hard-fought competition.
Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first half of the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
A key example of this was after Karaban scored a three-pointer to cut Michigan’s lead to six, Trey McKenney dropped back and drilled a 26-footer with 1:49 left to cut the lead to nine points. The Wolverines faithful in the crowd went crazy, knowing how much that basket meant considering what UConn has been able to do in this tournament.
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With 37 seconds left in the game, Ball got an assist off the backboard, scoring a three-pointer to cut the lead to 67-63 for the Wolverines. Roddy Gayle Jr. made things more interesting in this game, as he couldn’t knock down both of his free throw attempts for Michigan. But Karaban didn’t have another three-pointer in him, missing with 13 seconds left.
That was it for UConn’s desperate attempt, and Michigan celebrated its victory.
