{"id":2587851,"date":"2026-04-07T01:54:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-muscles-its-way-to-programs-2nd-national-title-beating-stubborn-uconn-69-63\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T01:56:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:56:42","slug":"michigan-muscles-its-way-to-programs-2nd-national-title-beating-stubborn-uconn-69-63","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-muscles-its-way-to-programs-2nd-national-title-beating-stubborn-uconn-69-63\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan muscles its way to program\u2019s 2nd national title, beating stubborn UConn 69-63"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigan-muscles-its-way-to-programs-2nd-national-title-beating-stubborn-uconn-69-63%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2587851&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 to win its second national championship in men\u2019s basketball, the program\u2019s first since 1989. The victory came with a starting five built from transfers-the article describes them as a \u201cnew Fab Five\u201d-and a defense that held UConn to 30.9% shooting, helping Michigan overcome shooting struggles (they were 2-for-15 from three) and a tougher night from their star, Yaxel Lendeborg, who still finished with 13 points.<\/p>\n<p>Key moments included Elliot Cadeau\u2019s 19 points for Michigan, including their first 3 of the second half, and Trey McKenney sinking two late <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kevin-durant-just-reminded-us-that-hes-the-greatest-basketball-player-on-earth\/\" title=\"Kevin Durant Just Reminded Us That He\u2019s The Greatest ... ... On Earth\">free throws<\/a> and a dagger 3 to push the lead to nine with under two minutes remaining. UConn fought back with Alex Karaban (17 points) and Solo Ball delivering a late banked 3, but Michigan held on. The win underscored the team\u2019s gritty defensive effort and collective contribution rather than reliance on a single scorer.<\/p>\n<p>The edition notes the broader context of the transfer-portal era, highlighting how all five starters came from other programs, and it marks a historic Big Ten milestone as Michigan\u2019s title ends the conference\u2019s long drought since 2000. Reactions from former stars on social media, including Jalen Rose and Chris Webber, punctuated the celebration.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Michigan muscles its way to program&rsquo;s 2nd national title, beating stubborn UConn 69-63<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2553118\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\">Michigan&rsquo;s<\/a> new Fab Five threw style points out the door and brought home a prize not even the school&rsquo;s most famous team could capture.<\/p>\n<p>The five fabulous transfers who make up coach Dusty May&rsquo;s starting lineup got down and dirty with the rest of the Wolverines &mdash; coming out with the national title trophy Monday night after muscling their way to a 69-63 victory over stingy, stubborn <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3400423\/university-of-connecticut-to-maintain-dei-office\/\">UConn<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\">Michigan<\/a> only made two 3-pointers all night.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The Final Four&rsquo;s most outstanding player, Elliot Cadeau, led the Wolverines with 19 points, including the team&rsquo;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&rsquo;s team &mdash; which had scored 90 points in five straight March Madness games leading to the final &mdash; a nine-point lead.<\/p>\n<p>To no one&rsquo;s surprise, UConn fought to the finish. Solo Ball banked in a 3 to cut the deficit to four with 37 seconds left &mdash; and after two missed free throws, UConn&rsquo;s Alex Karaban (17 points) barely grazed the rim on a 3 that would&rsquo;ve cut the deficit to one with 17 seconds left.<\/p>\n<p>Not until McKenney sank two free throws to bring Michigan&rsquo;s shooting from the line to 25 for 28 for the night could the Wolverines (37-3) kick off the celebration for the program&rsquo;s second title &mdash; 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.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;HAIL TO VICTORS!!!!&rdquo; Jalen Rose, one of the Fab Five stars, posted on social media. &ldquo;NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>It was the first men&rsquo;s hoops title for the Big Ten since Michigan State in 2000. Including UCLA&rsquo;s win in the women&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament Sunday, the conference swept the football (Indiana) and basketball titles this year.<\/p>\n<p>Michigan won this one with defense, holding UConn to 30.9% shooting &mdash; the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/viral-video-nfl-coach-married-grandfather-urban-meyer-caught-at-bar-with-young-woman-dancing-against-him\/\" title=\"VIRAL VIDEO: NFL ..., Married Grandfather Urban Meyer, Caught At Bar With Young Woman Dancing Against Him\">fourth straight game<\/a> the Wolverines held their opponent to a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >season-low field-goal percentage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These guys have done it all year,&rdquo; May said. &ldquo;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.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Michigan had to fight for everything. The Wolverines missed their first 11 shots from 3, finished 2 for 15 beyond the arc and won despite the struggles of their best player, Yaxel Lendeborg. Ailing with a hurt knee and foot that kept him from elevating, the graduate transfer from UAB finished with 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you&rsquo;d told me we would shoot it this poorly and (be) dominated on the glass and still find a way to win, I don&rsquo;t know if I would have believed you,&rdquo; May said. &ldquo;This team just found a way all season.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The two 3-pointers were tied for second fewest by a winning team in the title game, according to Sportradar. Michigan also got outrebounded 22-12 on the offensive glass by a UConn team that would not go away.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;How are you disappointed at all in your group?&rdquo; UConn coach Dan Hurley said. &ldquo;These guys have 22 offensive rebounds versus that group of &lsquo;mon-stars&rsquo; out there. So, proud of the guys.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Michigan had to fight for everything. The Wolverines missed their first 11 shots from 3, finished 2 for 15 beyond the arc and won despite the struggles of their best player, Yaxel Lendeborg. Ailing with a hurt knee and foot that kept him from elevating, the graduate transfer from UAB finished with 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you&rsquo;d told me we would shoot it this poorly and (be) dominated on the glass and still find a way to win, I don&rsquo;t know if I would have believed you,&rdquo; May said. &ldquo;This team just found a way all season.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The two 3-pointers were tied for second fewest by a winning team in the title game, according to Sportradar. Michigan also got outrebounded 22-12 on the offensive glass by a UConn team that would not go away.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;How are you disappointed at all in your group?&rdquo; UConn coach Dan Hurley said. &ldquo;These guys have 22 offensive rebounds versus that group of &lsquo;mon-stars&rsquo; out there. So, proud of the guys.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In this one, they didn&rsquo;t hit 70 and had to battle to the buzzer. It was ugly &mdash; the opposite of an instant classic. And yet, in almost every way, it was the prettiest of them all for Michigan &mdash; the one that gives the school what the Fab Five couldn&rsquo;t manage &mdash; namely, a natty.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy\/4509639\/most-important-energy-assets-iran-war\/\">WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ENERGY ASSETS IN THE IRAN WAR<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy\/4509639\/most-important-energy-assets-iran-war\/\">?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Nobody cared about stats the whole season,&rdquo; Cadeau said. &ldquo;Nobody cared about nothing but winning. I&rsquo;m just glad to be part of that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Style points aside, this was a championship built from outside &mdash; the best team money could buy.<\/p>\n<p>All five Wolverines starters played college ball elsewhere, and all but Nimari Burnett came to Ann Arbor this season. That&rsquo;s a product of the transfer portal that May has shown no reluctance to use since he arrived from Florida Atlantic two seasons ago.<\/p>\n<p>His ability to form a makeshift group into a winner shows the value of a coach and a culture.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They might be still calling us mercenaries but we&rsquo;re the hardest-working team,&rdquo; Lendenborg said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re the best in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/msm-falsely-accuses-oan-of-russian-propaganda-ignores-facts-attacks\/\" title=\"MSM falsely accuses OAN of \u2018Russian propaganda\u2019, ignores facts attacks\">college basketball<\/a> and we&rsquo;ll be one of the greatest ever.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Pretty much everyone in the maize and blue would second that.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Go BLUE. &hellip;champions!!! Respect- Love!&rdquo; was the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media post<\/a> from another Fab Five icon, Chris Webber.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan bags 2nd national title, tops UConn 69-63<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2634,"featured_media":2587852,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Michigan-NCAA-champs-e1775539140606.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[48952,32305,77294,77295,19604],"class_list":["post-2587851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-championship-game","tag-college-basketball","tag-michigan-basketball","tag-national-title","tag-uconn"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Michigan-NCAA-champs-e1775539140606.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2634"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2587851"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2587855,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587851\/revisions\/2587855"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2587852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2587851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2587851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2587851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}