Written by Garin Turner
The Michigan Wolverines are the 2026 College Basketball National Champions winning 69–63. It’s the Wolverines first championship since 1989 and the first time the Big Ten has won since 2000.
How it happened
Michigan won despite going 0-8 from three in the first quarter. Morez Johnson Jr. and Elliot Cadeau carried the team through the first part of the game. Michigan shot 11/12 from the free throw line as multiple UConn players had two fouls. UConn slowed the game down which is what they wanted to do to keep the game close. The first half saw eight ties and seven lead changes. Michigan lead early 7-2 but UConn settled in. UConn took its first lead of the game at 10:23 when Alex Karabanhit a three pointer. The game went back and forth before a technical foul on the Huskies gave Michigan the momentum. Johnson Jr. hit two free throws followed by a Yaxel Lendeborg lay-up. UConn went 5/15 from three and entered halftime down 33-29. Karaban and Solo Ball had eight points each at the half for the Huskies. For Michigan, Johnson Jr. led the team at the half in points with 10. Cadeau is second with seven.
The second half saw Michigan briefly push the lead to 56-45 despite shooting 1/14 from three. At the 5:21 mark, Michigan held ad 56-48 lead. Braylon Mullins hit a couple of threes to help keep the lead under 10 and give UConn a chance. Despite playing through pain, Lendeborg was aggressive in the second half, driving to the basket multiple times after going 0/5 from three. Michigan has six blocks and six steals. After Karaban hit a three to bring the Huskies within six, Trey McKenney answered with a three with 1:49 left in the game to push it back to nine. UConn turned up the pressure on defense forcing a turnover. Solo Ball banked in a three pointer to bring the score to 67-63 Michigan with 37 seconds left. After two missed free throws by Roddy Gayle Jr., UConn missed a three that would’ve brought the score within one.
Michigan went 2/15 from three but 25/28 from the free throw. Dusty May in his second year at Michigan, won his first championship. Cadeau led all scorers with 19. Lendeborg had 13 points and Johnson Jr. had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Karaban finished with 17 points for UConn and 11 rebounds. Tarris Reed Jr. had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Image Credit: Adrian Beecher
