Men’s March Madness: High-scoring Michigan Steamroll Tennessee On Way To Final Four

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 27 points, Elliot Cadeau had 10 assists and Michigan rolled into nan Final Four, overwhelming Tennessee for a 95-62 triumph successful nan NCAA Tournament connected Sunday.

Morez Johnson Jr added 12 points for top-seeded Michigan, who posted their 11th triumph this play by astatine slightest 30 points. Aday Mara had 11 points and blocked 2 shots successful nan Midwest Region final.

Making nan astir of their size and athleticism, Michigan (35-3) precocious to their first Final Four since 2018 and ninth overall. Next up is simply a showdown pinch Arizona successful Saturday’s nationalist semi-finals.

“We ever wanted to play against them, that team,” Lendeborg said. “They’re a really, really bully team, truthful it’s going to beryllium a ace nosy matchup.”

Under second-year coach Dusty May – who took Florida Atlantic to nan Final Four successful 2023 – nan Wolverines became nan first schoolhouse to triumph astatine slightest 4 games successful an NCAA tourney by double digits while scoring astatine slightest 90 points successful each.

Lendeborg, who was named nan region’s Most Outstanding Player, was 10 for 19 from nan field. He became nan first Michigan subordinate to people astatine slightest 23 points successful 3 consecutive NCAA Tournament games since Juwan Howard did it successful 4 consecutive successful 1994.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 21 points connected 8-of-22 shooting for Tennessee (25-12), who mislaid successful nan Elite Eight for nan 3rd consecutive twelvemonth nether Rick Barnes. The 71-year-old coach reached his only Final Four successful 2003 pinch Texas.

“We surely cognize what it takes to get here,” Barnes said. “Now we’ve sewage to fig retired getting done to nan adjacent level, and it’s connected this day, you’ve sewage to really beryllium astatine your best.”