Stephen A. Smith isn’t the biggest Michigan basketball fan, but that might’ve changed tonight. The Wolverines took on the Arizona Wildcats in the Final Four matchup between the two No. 1 seeds.
The Wolverines didn’t allow the Wildcats to even make it a close game, though they had several chances. Michigan star Yaxel Lendenborg played only 15 minutes, which should’ve benefited the Arizona Wildcats.
He picked up two early fouls and later went down with ankle and knee injuries. Despite that, the Wolverines took a 26-10 lead and closed the first half with 48-32. Arizona had no chance against a lethal Michigan attack.
The performance left a great impression on Stephen A. Smith. Based on his post about the game, he thought the Wildcats were going to win. However, the Wolverines surprised him by dominating the game.
“Good lord have mercy. @umichbball is kicking @ArizonaMBB’s a*s. Superior guard play. Superior shooting. Superior Toughness inside and out. This is pure domination. I honestly can’t believe how lopsided this is,” he wrote.
Brayden Burries, who was one of the best players for Arizona throughout the season, shooting over 50% from the field, looked helpless against Michigan. He scored 13 points, shooting 4 of 16 from the field and 2 of 10 from the three-point line.
“Arizona doesn’t look like they belong on the same court. And Burries and Bradley look completely outshined. @umichbball is DESTROYING them right now. Boy…was I wrong about this team,” Stephen A. added.
The Wolverines dominated in the second half of the game as well, with 43-41, and closed the game 91-73. They have now qualified for the championship game against the UConn Huskies on Monday.
Michigan Set Several Records in Win Over Arizona
A Final Four matchup between two No. 1 teams should’ve been closer than it was. By scoring 91 points, Michigan became the only team in NCAA Tournament history to score 90 points in five consecutive games.
The 18-point win tonight is now tied for the biggest point margin between two No. 1 seeds since seeding started in 1979.
“Michigan’s 18-point margin of victory is tied for the largest in an NCAA tournament game between 1-seeds since seeding began in 1979, per ESPN Research,” ESPN’s Jeff Borzello posted on X.
No one expects blowout wins this deep into the NCAA Tournament, but Michigan has now recorded back-to-back blowout wins in the Elite Eight and the Final Four. They defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 95-62 in the Elite Eight matchup.
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