Winners, losers as Michigan beats UConn for second men's basketball championship
For the first time in nearly four decades, Michigan is back atop the men’s basketball summit.
The No. 1 Wolverines took down the No. 2 UConn Huskies 69-63 Monday in the 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament championship. It marks the program’s second ever men’s basketball title, the first coming in 1989.
Michigan led 33-29 at the interval, but did so without making a single 3-point attempt from eight tries, while star forward Yaxel Lendeborg played every minute but didn’t offer much on the ball despite managing knee and ankle injuries.
Morez Johnson Jr. and Elliot Cadeau took up the scoring load for the Wolverines, the former posting 10 points and the latter seven. Michigan also edged the free-throw battle, scoring 11 of 12 while UConn went 4 of 6.
UConn also didn’t have a double-digit scorer, but had eight points apiece from Alex Karaban and Solo Ball, the latter also playing through injury. The Huskies made five of 15 3-pointers, while star center Tarris Reed Jr. logged five points and six rebounds.
The second half saw Michigan take multiple double-digit leads, including a high of 11, the first such in the game. But UConn always came back with a response and made sure to keep swinging. It boiled down to the trap-and-free-throws game in the final minute, but Michigan withstood a late rally.
Let’s analyze the championship game further with winners and losers:
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WINNER: Ending droughts
Michigan is not known as a men’s basketball powerhouse, more so being popular in the football spectrum. But head coach Dusty May has delivered a championship to the program after joining in 2024. It’s the school’s first men’s NCAA basketball championship since 1989 — 37 years ago.
The Wolverines came into this game with a 1-6 record in the ultimate game, the most recent losses coming in 2013 and 2018. That’s not an easy monkey to get off your back, especially given the history UConn has in the tournament. But Michigan had the better roster quality and made it count.
LOSER: Roster construction
Can your best player nowadays in college basketball be a center? Unless they’re a generational prospect, probably not. The Huskies came into the game led by star big man Tarris Reed Jr., but it became clear throughout the final that players who can handle the ball and create at more efficient levels were needed.
That’s where Michigan held an advantage, and it mattered on the margins. It’ll be intriguing to see how head coach Dan Hurley constructs his roster for next season, as Reed Jr. and forward Alex Karaban are likely headed for the NBA draft. UConn was also seeking a seventh men’s basketball triumph, the last two coming in 2023 and 2024.
WINNER: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau deservedly won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player of the Year, scoring 19 points in the final for his highest-scoring game in the tournament. But the team was held together by star forward Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg, a possible top-10 pick in the NBA draft, was an injury doubt coming into this game with knee and ankle issues. He ended up playing 36 minutes, including the entire first half. He admitted after the half that he wasn’t playing well, but ended with 13 points, two rebounds, one assist and a block while impressing with his switchability on defense.
He might not light up the NBA stat sheets, but two-way wings are extremely valuable and Lendeborg’s profile can fit any team. His first season as a Wolverine ends in storybook fashion.
LOSER: Missed opportunities
It’s not every day you see a team go 2-for-15 from deep and win a basketball game. Well, Michigan did it. That’s where UConn could’ve capitalized on the margins, but it also struggled to convert deep shots in the second half.
Michigan eventually put up a 25-for-28 free-throw clip, easily outscoring UConn’s 12-for-16 mark. Michigan also won the points-in-the-paint battle 36-22. Those were the two areas the Huskies couldn’t afford to lose out on.
WINNER: Dusty May, Michigan
May has become a wanted man in the basketball head-coaching world for a reason. In just his second season with the Wolverines, he has delivered the grandest prize. Last year, Michigan went 27-10 and bowed out in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
This time, five transfers helped propel the team to a 37-3 record. It’s the first time in the competition that a team with five new transfer starters went on to win a championship.
Michigan also enjoyed a dominant run throughout the tournament, winning each game by an average of 21 points. Its lowest margin of victory was 13 points vs. No. 4 Alabama. It might be April, but the next few months will rightfully be all about May.
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