It was only two and a half weeks ago when March Madness started with 64 teams, all competing for the NCAA Championship. On Monday, the last two teams, the Michigan Wolverines and the UConn Huskies, went toe-to-toe for the title.
Dusty May’s Wolverines emerged with a 69-63 win to claim the title at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, marking a Big Ten team’s first triumph since 2000.
May, who has done a brilliant job since joining the program in 2024, also denied Dan Hurley and UConn a third title in four seasons.
Hurley led the Huskies to glory in 2023 and 2024, but fell just short of a third title.
UConn vs. Michigan NCAA Championship Game Box Score
UConn Huskies
Starters
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Alex Karaban | 17 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tarris Reed Jr. | 13 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Braylon Mullins | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Silas Demary Jr. | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Solo Ball | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Bench
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Jayden Ross | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Jaylin Stewart | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Eric Reibe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Malachi Smith | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Michigan Wolverines
Starters
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Morez Johnson Jr. | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Aday Mara | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Elliot Cadeau | 19 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Nimari Burnett | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Bench
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF |
| Will Tschetter | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roddy Gayle Jr. | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Trey McKenney | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
UConn vs Michigan Game Summary
Even though Michigan had the lead at halftime, the Huskies were still in the running. The Wolverines led by four going into the break and raced out of the blocks in the second half, building an 11-point lead and capitalizing on UConn’s struggles from beyond the arc.
Although UConn cut the lead to six with a little under two minutes to play, Trey McKenney knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to halt the Huskies’ momentum.
Michigan held on to its lead the rest of the way and ended a 37-year drought for the national championship.
The foul disparity between the two teams was on full display. The Huskies had 22 total personal fouls, whereas the Wolverines only had 13. At one point, it was 15 and 5.
Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau led with 19 points, shooting 5 of 11 from the field with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Alex Karaban led the Huskies with a 17-point double-double, but his efforts were in vain. This was Michigan’s second NCAA title, and first since 1989.
Read More:
“I Cry a Little Bit”: Dan Hurley Reveals Another “Pre-Match Ritual” for NCAA Championship Final
Coach K Makes His Feelings Clear on Nikola Jokic’s Ex-Coach Replacing Hubert Davis at North Carolina
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