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Final Score: Michigan 69, UCONN 63.
Michigan wins the national championship in an ugly game. UCONN did not quit, but Michigan was just too big and physical. The Wolverines only made two threes tonight but were 25/28 from the free throw line. UCONN was 12/16 from the line. At the end of the day Michigan could score more easily in the paint, where it had a 36 to 22 advantage. UCONN literally has to be killed to be eliminated during the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies showed great heart and culture, outrebounding Michigan 43 to 36. There is a lot to break down from this game tomorrow. Make the jump to see the final stats of Michigan's title-clinching win against the Connecticut Huskies.
Second Half, Final Four Minutes Live Reactions
Michigan leads 67-63 with 13 seconds left. The refs are reviewing if McKenney threw an elbow before getting fouled. Roddy Gayle missed two free throws, but Karaban missed a three. McKenney got the rebound and was fouled.
Michigan leads 67-63 with 37 seconds left. Timeout UCONN. Ball just banked in a three after Michigan turned the ball over against the press. Michigan is looking shaky against the press.
Michigan leads 67-60 with 48.8 seconds remaining. There has been some poor officiating. Demary fouled out on a tacky foul as Cadeau initiated minimal contact. McKenney just got away with two travels.
Michigan leads 67-60 with 48.8 seconds remaining. There has been some poor officiating. Demary fouled out on a tacky foul as Cadeau initiated minimal contact. McKenney just got away with two travels.
Michigan leads 65-56 with 1:49 remaining. Timeout Michigan. That might have just been the game. Karaban hit a ridiculous three to cut the game to six. UCONN then forced a turnover with Reed feeding Ball, who missed a contested layup. Michigan's McKenney then hit a three on a broken play. That's just Michigan's second three. Cadeau got away with a flop and hold on consecutive plays.
Second Half, Under-4 Timeout Live Reactions
Michigan leads 60-51 with 3:48 remaining. Lendeborg is starting to attack the rim, even though he is on one leg. He has Michigan's last six points. He missed a floater but got a tip in. He then drew a foul on a drive and hit two free throws. Mullins hit a big three and then just found Reed at the rim. Reed was fouled and will be shooting two free throws. Michigan is 19/20 from the free throw line. UCONN is 6/10. Michigan has 6 blocks and 6 steals tonight. It's been ugly offensive game for both teams, which have played great defense.
Michigan leads 56-48 with 5:48 remaining. Timeout UCONN. Mullins just hit UCONN's first three of the half after a Lendeborg layup put Michigan up 11.
Second Half, Under-8 Timeout Live Reactions
Michigan leads 52-45 with 7:16 remaining. Karaban is playing his heart out there, stripping Johnson on one end and then driving for a layup. He then grabbed a tough rebound. UCONN seemed to be coming but Michigan was able to get Mara a lob dunk in transition. UCONN is 0-for-9 from three this half. Michigan is swarming UCONN at the rim. The Huskies are actually +6 on the boards, with a 36 to 30 advantage. UCONN just doesn't have the athletes to hit the shots.
Second Half, Under-12 Timeout Live Reactions
Michigan leads 48-38 with 11:33 remaining. Morez Johnson has been playing great tonight, with a high motor. He just blocked a Mullins layup out of bounds. This might be his best game of the tournament, given the stage and competition. He has 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. He has been moving his feet and chasing his defenders quite well tonight. Cadeau leads the Wolverines with 15 points. Hurley cannot keep Solo Ball out much longer, despite the four fouls.
Michigan leads 48-37 with 12:47 remaining. Timeout UCONN. Cadeau has scored 5 straight points, a layup and Michigan's first three of the game. The pace has swung this game to Michigan, which is getting the ball up court quickly. Michigan just has superior athletes. UCONN has to work so hard. Reed is really struggling close at the basket. Michigan has ratcheted up the defense.
Second Half, Under-16 Timeout Live Reactions
Michigan leads 40-33 with 15:16 remaining. UCONN is in trouble. The Huskies can't hit shots as Michigan is turning up the defense. Michigan is starting to pick up the pace and could be up more as Johnson couldn't convert an alley oop and missed a tip in on a miss. The Huskies have seen Ball pick up his third and fourth fouls, and Demary pick up his third. It has been a sloppy start to the half. UCONN had 3 turnovers in the first half; they already have 5 this half. Michigan has 3 turnovers as well. The Wolverines still haven't hit a three. It's been an ugly game for the Wolverines, which is starting to overwhelm UCONN with its size and physicality.
Halftime Adjustments
Michigan may be 0-8 from three, but needs to keep pounding the ball inside, especially feeding Mara and Johnson. The goal should be to open some outside shots with inside touches. Defensively, Michigan is starting to wear down UCONN, which is having to work so hard, and getting a rhythm. The Wolverines should try to push off misses and get this game to a quicker pace. The high low game seemed to be effective late in the half. Michigan has a 22 to 8 advantage with points in the paint. Michigan is 11/14 with shots in the paint, 0/16 with shots outside the paint. UCONN is going to keep running its offense and has to hope Ball can keep hitting, and Karaban and Mullins can get a few more to drop. UCONN is going to need Ball and Demary on the court the entire half. Reed struggled with Michigan's size in the first half and needs to finish at the rim. Ultimately, it feels like Michigan will be too explosive, and that UCONN is going to wear out. We shall see as Hurley cannot be discounted.
Halftime: Michigan 33, UCONN 29.
Michigan was starting to get some flow at the end of the half. Gayle Jr. had a nice put-back dunk on a missed Lendeborg layup in transition and Mara scored another basket inside. Ball came back in and hit a huge three. UCONN was able to hang in. Here are the halftime stats.
First Half, Final Four Minutes Live Reactions
Michigan leads 29-25 with 2:44 remaining. Timeout UCONN. Michigan is on a 6-0 run. Johnson hit two frees after a hook and hold call on Karaban. Michigan then posted Lendeborg, with a high low pass from Mara leading to an easy basket. Lendeborg is finally on the board. Mara just posted and scored on Reibe with a nice lefty hook. Michigan had missed 8 of 9 field goals. UCONN is in another offensive drought and needs to survive this half. Karaban has missed his last two threes and hitting his first two. Both teams are 9/26 from the field.
First Half, Under-4 Timeout Live Reactions
UCONN leads 25-23 with 3:58 remaining. UCONN is playing harder than Michigan, which is staying in the game at the foul line as UCONN fouls are piling up. Reed just picked up his second foul. Ball and Demary have been on the bench for a long time with two. Cadeau has two for Michigan. Dusty May has tried to change tempo with a press, but UCONN is breaking it. Smith is a little scary with the ball in his hand, but he did find Mullins for a three off the press. UCONN is limiting Michigan to one shot and beating the Wolverines on the offensive glass, with a 6 to 4 advantage. Michigan still hasn't hit a three. The Wolverines are 0/7 from deep. They are 9/10 from the foul line while UCONN is 3/4. Braylon Mullins is bringing a lot of energy for UCONN, flying in for a nice offensive board. Michigan looks a half-step slow.
First Half, Under-8 Timeout Live Reactions
UCONN leads 18 to 17 with 7:00 remaining. This is a UCONN game right now, a halfcourt grinder. Karaban had another three and is 2-for-2 from deep after a rough shooting game on Saturday. Malachi Smith has been big off the bench with four points. Michigan finally got someone other than Johnson (8 points) and Cadeau (7 points) to score with a nice feed to Mara on a screen and slip. Michigan is 0/5 from three. UCONN is 3/8. Michigan has a 14 to 4 advantage with points in the paint. The Wolverines look a bit frazzled and tight. UCONN has 6 fouls, Michigan has 3.
First Half, Under-12 Timeout Live Reactions
Michigan leads 11-10 with 11:57 remaining. UCONN got two big threes from Ball and Alex Karaban during this stretch. The Huskies have been doing a better job limiting Michigan to one shot. UCONN now leads the boards 7 to 6. Unfortunately, for UCONN, both Ball and Silas Demary Jr. have two fouls. Cadeau leads Michigan with 7 points on 2-for-4 from the field, including a nice right hand reverse layup. Lendeborg hasn't taken a shot yet and Aday Mara is 0-for-3. Michigan does not have a three (0-for-3.. This is the recipe for UCONN, hang in and hope Michigan misses shots. Reed has looked bothered by Mara's size. He is 1-for-4 from the field, has a turnover down low and a foul pushing off on an offensive board.
First Half, Under-16 Timeout Live Reactions
Michigan leads 9-4 with 15:41 remaining. Post touches have been the priorities for both teams. Morez Johnson has four points on 2-for-3 from the field, including an offensive tip in. Tarris Reed Jr. has three shots and two points, hitting just one field goal. Michigan has a 6 to 1 advantage on the boards. Yaxel Lendeborg looks very limited for Michigan. Solo Ball had a nice baseline jumper off some nice action, indicating that his foot looks okay. Roddy Gayle Jr. just had a nasty block of a driving Silas Demary. Michigan is really pushing UCONN out on the perimeter. No one has hit a three yet. Braylon Mullins badly missed one, Eliot Cadeau missed his.
Prediction: Michigan
To be the best you have to beat the best. Michigan has certainly looked like the best team all tourney long. With its incredible front court, explosive offensive and overwhelming defense, Michigan is ready to beat the best program in college basketball the last four NCAA Tournaments and this entire century, Connecticut. While UCONN Head Coach Dan Hurley has done wonders getting this Huskies team to the title game, and should never be discounted, Michigan is a whole different animal, even with a hobbled Yaxel Lendeborg. Michigan's focused defense will be able to hold down a UCONN offense that shoots the ball too erratically, and the Wolverines will be able to overwhelm with its offensive diversity, scoring bursts and overwhelming size. Despite Hurley's tactical brilliance and UCONN's championship culture/pedgiree, it's hard seeing the Huskies beating a Michigan team that is not only constructed wonderfully but coached incredibly by Dusty May. Tonight's games features the two best head coaches in college basketball, and it wouldn't be surprising to see these two meet up again in future Final Fours. While UCONN should be commended for getting this far, Michigan should be commended for not only looking but playing the part of the most dominant team in college basketball all season long. For the second time in school history, Michigan will be national champions in men's basketball. For the first time in school history, UCONN will lose in the title game. For more on tonight's game, including a position-by-position, bench and coaching breakdown, click here.
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