Michigan ran Tennessee out of the United Center en route to a Final Four berth.
Michigan left no doubt in the Elite Eight.
Behind a dominant all-around performance and a balanced offensive attack, the top-seeded Wolverines rolled past No. 6 Tennessee, 95–62, to punch their ticket to the Final Four, where they’ll face Arizona.
From the opening tip, Michigan controlled the game with pace, physicality, and efficiency. The Wolverines jumped out to a 48–26 lead at halftime and never looked back, stretching the margin to as many as 34 points in the second half.
The story started with forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who delivered a standout performance with 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including 3-of-9 from beyond the arc. He added seven rebounds and provided a consistent scoring presence that Tennessee simply couldn’t match. The performance was Yaxel's best so far and led to him winning Most Outstanding Player in the region.
Michigan’s backcourt set the tone as well. Elliot Cadeau orchestrated the offense masterfully, finishing with 10 assists to go along with eight points, consistently breaking down Tennessee’s defense and creating open looks. Nimari Burnett contributed 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while adding strong defensive pressure on the perimeter.
The Wolverines shot an efficient 51.8% from the field and knocked down 10 three-pointers, compared to Tennessee’s 19% shooting from deep. Michigan missed 10 free throws, but did make 27-of-37 attempts behind strong takes at the rim by Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr specifically.
Defensively, Michigan overwhelmed the Volunteers. Tennessee shot just 31.6% from the floor and struggled to generate consistent offense outside of Ja'Kobi Gillespie, who led UT with 21 points but needed 22 shots to get there. The Wolverines protected the rim with eight blocks and controlled the defensive glass, finishing with 34 defensive rebounds.
One of the biggest differences came in transition. Michigan turned defense into offense repeatedly, outscoring Tennessee in fast break points 21–13 and forcing difficult possessions throughout the game. While Tennessee actually held a slight edge in points off turnovers, it did little to slow Michigan’s overall momentum.
Perhaps most telling was Michigan’s control of the game flow. The Wolverines led for over 33 minutes and handled Tennessee’s physicality without losing composure, committing just 11 turnovers while dishing out 19 assists.
This was a complete performance—offense, defense, and depth all clicking at the right time.
Now, Michigan turns its attention to Arizona in the Final Four. If the Wolverines can replicate this level of execution and intensity, they’ll be a tough out with a national championship berth on the line.