The Michigan Wolverines secured the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship, marking the program's first title since 1989. This followed their Final Four victory against the Arizona Wildcats, who had reached their first Final Four in 25 years. Leading up to the Final Four, Arizona navigated a challenging tournament run, including a Big 12 semifinal win marked by a court change.
Arizona's Path to the Final Four
The Arizona Wildcats advanced to the Final Four after a series of tournament victories.
NCAA Tournament First Round
Arizona began its NCAA Tournament run by defeating No. 16 seed Long Island University (LIU) by 32 points, marking their largest margin of victory in the tournament since 1998. Coach Tommy Lloyd acknowledged LIU's season and emphasized the objective of securing early-round wins without emotional distractions.
Freshman Koa Peat described the win as a "good team win," while fellow freshman Brayden Burries called his first tournament game a "great experience."
Big 12 Tournament Semifinals
Arizona secured a spot in the Big 12 Tournament championship by defeating No. 7 Iowa State 82-80 in the semifinals. The game was decided by a buzzer-beater from Jaden Bradley, the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. Coach Lloyd opted not to call a timeout on the final possession, allowing Bradley to make the play, an approach described as "figure it out."
Anthony Dell’Orso contributed 26 points for Arizona, while Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic led all scorers with 28 points.
Notably, the game was played on a traditional hardwood court after Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark decided to replace the LED glass floor following reports of player slippage and an injury. Lloyd credited Yormark and conference officials for the decision.
West Region Final
Arizona advanced to the Final Four by defeating Purdue in the West Region final. The team trailed Purdue by seven points at halftime but outscored them 48-26 in the second half to win. Coach Lloyd stated he approached the game calmly and allowed players to strategize among themselves during halftime.
Jaden Bradley discussed the defensive strategy against Purdue guards, while Koa Peat noted the player-led halftime discussion as crucial.
Ivan Kharchenkov, Brayden Burries, and Motiejus Krivas also commented on the significance of the win and fan support.
Final Four: Michigan vs. Arizona
Ahead of their Final Four matchup in Indianapolis, coaches Tommy Lloyd of Arizona and Dusty May of Michigan held press conferences.
Pre-Game Statements
Coach Lloyd expressed his honor in participating in the Final Four, representing the University of Arizona. He discussed how Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has facilitated international recruiting by offering compensation comparable to European clubs, expecting the eligibility landscape to stabilize. He also mentioned Ivan Kharchenkov's expanded role and defensive contributions and cited the Arizona community and fan base as his primary motivation.
Lloyd asserted that physicality is a fundamental requirement for championship-level programs, rejecting any characterization of Arizona as a "finesse team."
Coach May described his presence at the Final Four as a "full circle moment," recalling his past as an Indiana manager. He noted similarities between Michigan and Arizona, including veteran bench players, strong team character, significant frontcourt size, and intelligent guard play, anticipating a closely contested game. May also commented on the development of Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara, and mentioned an allergic reaction requiring hospital visit for Elliot Cadeau, confirming his recovery.
Game Outcome
Michigan secured a 91-73 victory over No. 1-seed Arizona in the Final Four, advancing to the championship game.
Post-Game Remarks (Michigan)
Head coach Dusty May described Michigan's performance as unselfish, connected, defensively strong, effective in transition, and characterized by ball sharing. He highlighted the team's assist-to-turnover ratio, rebounding, and success in securing 50/50 balls. May credited Yaxel Lendeborg for his determination despite apparent pain, Aday Mara for his notable performance, and Elliot Cadeau for consistent distribution and leadership.
May stated that the team's physicality throughout the season, developed through strength training and the Big Ten schedule, created a favorable matchup against Arizona's interior-focused offense.
Players Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, and Aday Mara also addressed reporters. Cadeau noted Yaxel Lendeborg's commitment to play despite injury and credited the coaching staff for fostering a cohesive team. McKenney echoed sentiments about Yaxel's selflessness. Mara expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play with the team and compete for a national title, acknowledging the process of adapting as a transfer player. Both Cadeau and McKenney mentioned improved three-point shooting in the second half after halftime discussions.
National Championship: Michigan vs. UConn
Michigan then prepared to face the UConn Huskies in the National Championship game.
Pre-Game Statements (UConn)
UConn head coach Dan Hurley described Michigan as an "impressive, imposing, and dominant team," acknowledging head coach Dusty May as one of the best in the country. He identified Michigan's key strengths as their size, rebounding ability, coaching, and Elliot Cadeau's playmaking.
Hurley provided injury updates for UConn players Solo Ball (foot sprain, status uncertain) and Silas Demary Jr. (banged up, expected to play).
Hurley emphasized that the physicality of Big East play prepares UConn for the NCAA Tournament and outlined a philosophy for sustained success involving developing an identity, relentlessness, and rigorous coaching.
Tarris Reed Jr. (a former Michigan player) noted the challenge posed by Michigan's length and size.
Pre-Game Statements (Michigan)
Michigan head coach Dusty May expressed honor in being one of the two remaining teams. He discussed the program's focus on recruiting high-achieving individuals and designing practices to challenge players and build resilience. May confirmed Yaxel Lendeborg's imaging came back clean and he would attempt to play.
He highlighted Michigan's proficiency in short-preparation scenarios due to their playing style and discussed the defensive challenge presented by UConn's offense. May credited current players for recruiting new talent and reiterated the team's primary motivation to win for each other and the university. Players Nimari Burnett and Will Tschetter discussed preparing for UConn's tempo and praised Coach May's preparation methods.
National Championship Outcome
Michigan secured the National Championship against the UConn Huskies, marking their first national title since 1989.
Post-Championship Remarks (Michigan)
Coach Dusty May thanked the previous Michigan team for establishing a foundation and his former FAU team for fostering a culture of sacrifice. He praised the current team's consistent dedication and selflessness. May specifically mentioned L.J. Cason, who despite injury, maintained a positive attitude and supported the team. May cited Michigan's strong sense of pride and the opportunity to retain players as factors in his coaching decision.
May detailed the team's in-game adjustments during the championship, focusing on defense and physicality despite poor shooting.
May also credited his coaching staff's cohesion and their recruitment of Elliot Cadeau as a "pass-first quarterback."
Elliot Cadeau, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, spoke about the team's ability to find ways to win and expressed pride in his personal growth.
Yaxel Lendeborg recounted the team's early season offensive struggles, noting that defensive toughness became a unifying strength.
Despite playing through an injury in the championship game, he expressed determination to participate. Trey McKenney conveyed his pride in his teammates' selflessness, emphasizing their collective sacrifice for team success.