INDIANAPOLIS — Just hours before the most important game of his coaching career, Michigan's Dusty May displayed remarkable composure, sitting courtside scouting potential opponents while his team prepared for their Final Four showdown against Arizona. That calm confidence proved prophetic as the Wolverines delivered one of the most dominant performances in recent tournament history, crushing the top-seeded Wildcats 91-73 on Saturday night.
The victory sends Michigan to Monday's national championship game against UConn, where they'll compete for the program's first title since 1989. The margin of victory represented the largest beating between No. 1 seeds in Final Four history.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd could only tip his cap to the superior performance. "They were outstanding tonight," Lloyd said. "Really had us on our heels tonight. We never could get into a rhythm. No one's been able to do that to us all year."
The win came despite concerning injury news for Michigan. All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg suffered a left MCL sprain and ankle injury in the first half after getting fouled on a drive. He was in visible pain when he left the court and returned to play only nine minutes in the second half, moving gingerly throughout.
Even without their star player at full strength, Michigan imposed their will from the opening tip. In a matchup featuring two of college basketball's most physical frontcourts, the Wolverines matched Arizona's interior dominance while adding an outside shooting dimension the Wildcats couldn't counter.
Freshman sensation Aday Mara delivered the best performance of his young career, finishing with 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks while shooting 11-for-16 from the field. His 7-foot-3 frame created problems for Arizona at both ends of the court.
"Aday was sensational," May said. "He was at the rim, catching lobs. He was a force down low. He was a pressure release up top. I mean, he's such a smart basketball player. And obviously, his rim protection — he did a great job forcing a lot of those misses around the basket because of his aggression."
Morez Johnson Jr. added 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists as Michigan matched Arizona in points in the paint while dominating second-chance points 19-12. The Wolverines' physical approach set the tone from the opening possession.
"We've played with great physicality all year," May explained. "We've done a great job in the weight room. We've done, I think, a real solid job of not beating our guys up in practice but yet preparing them for the mental and physical wear and tear of these types of games. But it's a mindset."
Guard Nimari Burnett highlighted the team's versatile approach to victory. "I think we've done a great job of that, kind of beating teams at their own game," Burnett said. "It just shows us how, I mean, we can do it in a multitude of ways. You've seen games where we didn't shoot the ball well, but we still came out on top."
Michigan's defensive pressure created 26 points off turnovers, the most Arizona had allowed all season. The Wolverines also connected on 12 three-pointers, only the second time since Valentine's Day that the Wildcats had allowed double-digit threes.
Lloyd acknowledged his team had encountered something special. "I think we just came out and we played a team that was really well-built," Lloyd said. "They have a great coach. They were able to take control of the game. And then really, they were like surgical at a point. So that's hard to do."
The victory sets up a championship matchup against a UConn team that has looked equally dominant throughout the tournament. Michigan's ability to overcome Lendeborg's injury and maintain their physical identity against another elite opponent will be tested against the defending champions Monday night.
