Michigan blows out Arizona
Michigan rolled into the men's title game with a 91–73 demolition of Arizona, a one‑sided semifinal that put the Wolverines' offense on full display and opened the championship as a true mismatch. (sports.yahoo.com) The team has now scored 90+ points in each of its five tournament wins, the victory included a brief injury scare for Yaxel Lendeborg, and point guard Elliot Cadeau posted 13 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals — highlights that broadcasters also emphasized in extended game packages. (cnn.com) (x.com) (youtube.com)
Michigan did something rare for a Final Four game: it stopped feeling like a matchup and started looking like an unveiling. (espn.com) The Wolverines led 48–32 at halftime and never let Arizona back in, finishing a 91–73 victory that turned a projected close tilt into a one‑sided semifinal. (espn.com) The box score makes the score look tidy; the how explains the gap. Michigan’s offense moved the ball and attacked the rim, producing high‑value shots from bigs and spot‑up threes from the bench. (mgoblue.com) Aday Mara muscled for a career‑high 26 points and nine rebounds, finishing inside on contested attempts and converting hustle plays that kept Arizona on its heels. (mgoblue.com) Freshman Trey McKenney’s four made three‑pointers off the bench stretched the floor and punished Arizona when it tried to sag into the paint. (sports.yahoo.com) At the controls, Elliot Cadeau ran the pace. He finished with 13 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and four steals — a stat line that reads like both a distributor’s night and a defensive game plan executed. (mgoblue.com) Cadeau’s shooting was off (5‑for‑17), but his assists and quick hands turned possessions into easy buckets and turnovers into transition points. (espn.com) The result left Arizona — a team that had lost only twice all season — playing catchup into the second half and never mounting a consistent run. (sports.yahoo.com) The game carried a scare for Michigan, too. Yaxel Lendeborg rolled his left ankle on a drive, left for treatment and did not return to finish the half; he later came back with his ankle taped and a knee brace. (sports.yahoo.com) Broadcasters replayed those moments and Cadeau’s steals in extended highlight packages, but the bottom line on the stat sheet was simple: Michigan kept Arizona’s offense disjointed while producing efficient scoring from multiple sources. (espn.com) This win also extended a curious streak: Michigan has now scored at least 90 points in each of its five tournament victories, a pace that turns single‑elimination shock into a sustained offensive identity. (sports.yahoo.com) That identity creates a clear matchup for the title game. Michigan will meet UConn on Monday, April 6, with the championship slated for 8:50 p.m. Eastern; the semifinal’s one‑sidedness left the final feeling unusually directional rather than open. (sports.yahoo.com) The concrete detail to hold: a 91‑73 Final Four victory, Aday Mara’s 26, Cadeau’s 13‑and‑10 with four steals, and a title game against UConn on Monday night. (espn.com)
