Michigan holds off UConn to capture first men's basketball national title since 1989

The Michigan Wolverines are yet nationalist champions erstwhile much successful men’s basketball, taking down nan UConn Huskies, 69-63, to decorativeness a thrilling NCAA Tournament successful style astatine Lucas Oil Stadium connected Monday night.

This is nan first clip Michigan has won since 1989, and conscionable nan 2nd clip successful programme history they’ve called themselves champions.

Meanwhile, the Huskies were looking to triumph their 3rd title successful nan past 4 tournaments, but their shooting grounded them successful nan end.  

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Elliot Cadeau celebrates during nan first half of nan 2026 NCAA men's hoops nationalist title crippled against UConn astatine Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indianapolis, Indiana, connected April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

While some team’s offenses came into this crippled moving for illustration a machine, it was a low-scoring matter to footwear disconnected this game. Michigan only owned a 33-29 first-half lead by nan buzzer, but it wasn’t Yaxel Lendeborg starring nan measurement successful nan points section for nan Wolverines.

The Michigan star, who is playing connected a sprained near MCL and near ankle, which came during nan triumph complete Arizona successful nan Final Four, was conscionable 1-of-5 shooting for 4 points successful nan first half. It was Morez Johnson Jr. (10 points) and Elliot Cadeau (seven points) uncovering immoderate hit for nan Wolverines.

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But it didn’t thief that Michigan was scoreless from beyond nan arc and shooting conscionable 37% from nan field. Meanwhile, UConn wasn’t doing themselves immoderate favors either.

The Huskies changeable conscionable 33% successful nan first half, pinch Alex Karaban hitting 2 of his 5 three-point attempts. Solo Ball, who was spotted successful a stepping footwear entering nan crippled pinch "some type of ft sprain," according to caput coach Dan Hurley, had 8 points connected 3-of-4 from nan field.

While they were down, UConn was surely playing nan type of crippled they wanted against Michigan – a rugged battle, particularly connected nan glass. Michigan has shown its prowess of taking momentum and sprinting pinch it offensively, dominating opponents each twelvemonth long, including this NCAA Tournament.

Yaxel Lendeborg of nan Michigan Wolverines dribbles during nan first half against nan UConn Huskies successful nan National Championship of nan 2026 NCAA men's hoops tourney astatine Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indianapolis, Ind., connected April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

However, nan Huskies cognize their scratching and clawing abilities for 40 minutes allows them to ne'er fto an force consciousness comfortable. Just inquire nan Duke Blue Devils what happened successful nan Final Four.

The Huskies had that aforesaid demeanor successful nan 2nd half, though it didn’t thief they took a page retired of nan Wolverines’ first-half playbook – they couldn’t find nan changeable from range. UConn was hopeless to deed a three-pointer, but contempt unfastened looks, they couldn’t get 1 to autumn arsenic nan Michigan lead yet sewage to 11 points aft Cadeau yet collapsed nan seal for his squad connected nan other end, burying a three-pointer to get to a double-digit lead.

But Hurley was firing up nan crowd arsenic nan Huskies ne'er quit, cutting nan lead to 5 pinch little than 9 minutes to play successful nan game. Lendeborg, though, aft shaking his caput connected nan chair arsenic he wasn't having nan crippled he hoped successful nan nationalist championship, stepped up erstwhile he checked backmost in.

Lendeborg saw a saccharine walk from Cadeau successful modulation and sewage nan lead backmost to 11 pinch a reliable layup, making it 56-45 pinch little than six minutes to play. He would besides travel successful clutch pinch different 2 points pursuing a Braylon Mullins three-pointer.

Once again, nan Huskies wouldn't quit, arsenic Mullins yet recovered his changeable beyond nan arc, knocking that Michigan lead backmost to azygous digits pinch a follow-up three-pointer again to Lendeborg's layups. But, conscionable arsenic gritty arsenic nan Huskies played, nan Wolverines seemed to ever person nan reply successful this hard-fought contest.

Head coach Dan Hurley of nan UConn Huskies reacts during nan first half of nan NCAA men's hoops nationalist title crippled against nan Michigan Wolverines astatine Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indianapolis, Ind., connected April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

A cardinal illustration of that was, aft Karaban buried a three-pointer to trim nan Michigan lead to six, Trey McKenney stepped backmost and drilled a 26-footer pinch 1:49 near successful nan crippled to get nan lead backmost to 9 points. The Wolverines religious successful nan crowd went ballistic, knowing really overmuch that handbasket meant considering what UConn has been capable to do successful this tournament.

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With 37 seconds near successful nan game, Ball sewage immoderate thief from nan backboard, making a three-pointer to trim nan lead to 67-63 for nan Wolverines. Roddy Gayle Jr. made things much absorbing successful this game, arsenic he couldn't sound down his 2 free propulsion attempts for Michigan. But Karaban didn't person different clutch three-pointer successful him, coming up short pinch 13 seconds left.

That was it for UConn's desperation attempt, and Michigan celebrated their win.

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