In the pursuit of a national championship since 1989, the Michigan Wolverines enter the Final Four as the clear favorites to cut down the nets, after a dominant regular season and a smooth run through the Midwest Region.
Following their regular season title, the Wolverines cruised through the first four games of March Madness to secure a Midwest regional title and a berth in the Final Four. Their tournament dominance was capped off with a whopping 33-point victory over the No. 6 seed Tennessee Volunteers in the Elite Eight, highlighted by an impressive 21-0 run in the first half.
The program’s quest for its first national championship since 1989 continues thanks to another outstanding offensive showing, as they became the sixth team in tournament history to score 90 or more points in their first four games.
This offensive boom is due in part to Michigan’s star Yaxel Lendeborg, who finished his Midwest Region MVP campaign by scoring 27 points against the Tennessee Volunteers while shooting over 50% from the field.
The Big Ten Player of the Year spent much of the season deferring to teammates, but over the last three NCAA Tournament games, he has taken over. He posted three straight 20-point performances, tallying 25 against Saint Louis, 23 against Alabama and 27 against Tennessee. During that stretch, he added 25 rebounds, 13 assists, and one of the nastiest poster dunks in March Madness history over St. Louis guard Quentin Jones.
The Wolverines’ defense has also been dominant all season. According to KenPom, a computer metric that evaluates teams based on efficiency per possession, the Wolverines have the No. 1 defense in the nation. Their dominance has carried into the postseason, where they most recently held the high-octane offense from Tennessee to 32% shooting from the field and 19% from three, along with recording eight blocks and six steals.
Michigan’s defense is anchored by 7-foot-3 Aday Mara, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, who recorded two blocks against Tennessee to become the first Wolverine to reach 100 blocks in a season.
All of the Wolverines’ dominance and record-breaking statistics this season will be challenged on Saturday against the fellow No. 1 seed Arizona Wildcats. The Wildcats have been just as dominant as, if not more than, the Wolverines throughout the season and postseason thus far. Their run to the Final Four consisted of defeats over Long Island, Utah State, Arkansas, and Purdue, with an average winning margin of a whopping 20.5 points.
Although Michigan is ranked No. 1 in KenPom with a net rating of 39.02, the Wildcats are close behind at 38.76. The two teams have been so dominant that these KenPom rankings are the third- and fourth-highest of all time, making this matchup one of the most highly anticipated games ever. Many are calling it the de facto national championship, with Illinois and UConn, both lower-rated teams, meeting in the other semifinal (Michigan State will, of course, not be participating in either game after getting knocked out in the Sweet Sixteen).
The Michigan Wolverines have spent the season proving they belong among the historically elite college basketball teams, and now they have a chance to validate that status when it matters most. A win would not only extend their run but also solidify their place at the top of the college basketball world.
