Michigan wins NCAA championship honours after grinding out a 69-63 victory over UConn on Monday night, overcoming a poor shooting display from three-point range with toughness, defence, and composure at the free-throw line.
The Wolverines made only two three-pointers all game, yet still found enough offence to outlast a physical, defensive-minded Huskies team. Instead of relying on their usual scoring punch, Michigan leaned on discipline and execution in a title game that felt more like a survival test than a shootout.
Elliot Cadeau led Michigan with 19 points and hit the team’s first three-pointer 7:04 into the second half. That shot helped settle the Wolverines after a long struggle from beyond the arc.
Then came the game’s biggest dagger. Freshman Trey McKenney drilled Michigan’s second and only other three-pointer with 1:50 remaining, stretching the lead to nine points and giving the Wolverines crucial breathing room.
McKenney later added free throws to help close out the win. Michigan finished 25-for-28 from the line, a decisive factor in securing the program’s second national championship and its first since 1989.
MICHIGAN BEATS UCONN TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆🔥
FIRST TITLE FOR THE WOLVERINES SINCE 1989 〽️ pic.twitter.com/4SVx5YxD9K
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 7, 2026UConn kept the pressure on until the final seconds
UConn never let the game slip away quietly. Solo Ball banked in a late three-pointer to cut Michigan’s lead to four with 37 seconds left, keeping the Huskies alive in the closing moments.
After Michigan missed free throws, Alex Karaban, who scored 17 points, nearly delivered a dramatic twist. However, he narrowly missed a potential game-changing three-pointer with 17 seconds left. That miss allowed Michigan to regain control and finish the job at the line.
The championship game turned into a throwback battle. It featured more contact than flair and demanded resilience from both sides.
Michigan struggled badly from long range, finishing just 2-for-15 from beyond the arc after missing its first 11 attempts. Even star forward Yaxel Lendeborg played through knee and foot injuries and finished with 13 points on 4-for-13 shooting.
Still, the Wolverines responded with defence, toughness, and smart late-game execution. Those qualities ultimately carried them past UConn and into the history books.
By winning this game, Michigan captured its first national title since 1989 and only the second NCAA championship in program history. It was not a flashy performance. However, it was the kind of hard-earned win that often defines champions.
