Michigan muscles its way to program’s 2nd national title, beating stubborn UConn 69-63

Michigan celebrates after defeating UConn in the NCAA college basketball tournament national championship game at the Final Four, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) 2026-04-06T15:14:41Z INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michigan’s new Fab Five threw style points out the door and brought home a prize not even the school’s most famous team could capture.

The five fabulous transfers who make up coach Dusty May’s starting lineup got down and dirty with the rest of the Wolverines — coming out with the national title trophy Monday night after muscling their way to a 69-63 victory over stingy, stubborn UConn.

Michigan only made two 3-pointers all night.

The Final Four’s most outstanding player, Elliot Cadeau, led the Wolverines with 19 points, including the team’s first 3, which came 7:04 into the second half.

The second 3, from freshman Trey McKenney, came with 1:50 left and felt like a dagger, giving May’s team — which had scored 90 points in five straight March Madness games leading to the final — a nine-point lead.

To no one’s surprise, UConn fought to the finish.

Solo Ball banked in a 3 to cut the deficit to four with 37 seconds left — and after two missed free throws, UConn’s Alex Karaban (17 points) barely grazed the rim on a 3 that would’ve cut the deficit to one with 17 seconds left.

Not until McKenney sank two free throws to bring Michigan’s shooting from the line to 25 for 28 for the night could the Wolverines (37-3) kick off the celebration for the program’s second title — the other coming in 1989, a few years before the Fab Five arrived and made two trips to the championship game, but never won a title. “HAIL TO VICTORS!!!!” Jalen Rose, one of the Fab Five stars, posted on social media. “NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!” Read More It was the first men’s hoops title for the Big Ten since Michigan State in 2000.

Including UCLA’s win in the women’s NCAA Tournament Sunday, the conference swept the football (Indiana) and basketball titles this year.

Michigan won this one with defense, holding UConn to 30.9% shooting — the fourth straight game the Wolverines held their opponent to a season-low field-goal percentage. ▶ View and download the men’s NCAA tournament bracket “These guys have done it all year,” May said. “When one side of the ball has let us down, the other side has picked it up.

Our togetherness defensively ultimately got us over the hump.” Michigan had to fight for everything.

The Wolverines missed their first 11 shots from 3,

原文链接: AP News