Michigan sends message: You don't want to play them

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Michigan sends message: You don't want to play them

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Sun, Mar 29, 2026 ·

5 min read

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CHICAGO – With Tennessee already down by 19, one basket wasn't going to make a difference. The game was effectively over, and whether Michigan won by 10 or 20, the outcome was still going to be the same.

Michigan coach Dusty May challenged the goaltending call, anyway. The Wolverines weren't just here to win, they were here to send a message:

They're the best team in the country, and they'll steamroll anyone who is in their way.

"It's just people stepping up to the moment," Roddy Gayle Jr. said. "I feel like March brings out the best in people."

Toppmeyer: Dusty May so good, you almost forget Sherrone Moore — now, UNC needs him

More: Where does Michigan blowout rank among largest margin of victories in Elite 8?

It certainly has with this team.

Top-seeded Michigan r outed sixth-seeded Tennessee 95-62 on Sunday, March 29, to reach the Final Four for the third time since 2013. With apologies to Moritz Wagner and Glenn Robinson III, these Wolverines have the best chance yet to win the school's first national title since 1989.

In a span of two days, Michigan humbled the country's top offensive team and the SEC's best defensive team, and the Wolverines barely broke a sweat in doing so. They've scored 90 or more points and shot 50% or better in each of their NCAA Tournament games, and the 33-point win over Tennessee was the biggest blowout of the weekend.

And if Yaxel Lendeborg isn't the player of the year, he's for sure the player of March.

Lendeborg tagged Tennessee for 27 points, his third game with 23 or more, and 10 of those came during a 23-2 run in the first half that effectively sealed the game. He's making a career's worth of highlights every game, including his tip-in layup off his own missed 3-pointer with 11:57 left to play against Tennessee.

The Wolverines are not a one-man team, however. Four other players finished in double figures and two others were only a bucket away. Elliot Cadeau had double-digit assists (10) for the fifth time this season.

Whatever those hiccups Michigan had in the Big Ten tournament, where they struggled against Ohio State and Wisconsin before losing to Purdue in the title game, they are long gone. Michigan is rolling, and good luck to anyone who faces them.

Michigan plays fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four in Indianapolis on Saturday night, April 4.

Michigan Wolverines guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) shakes hands with forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) against the Howard Bison during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) dunks the ball against Howard Bison guard Bryce Harris (34) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May talks to forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) before a substitution against the Howard Bison during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) shoots the ball against Howard Bison guards Cam Gillus (2) and Alex Cotton (4) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines guard Nimari Burnett (4) dunks the ball against the Howard Bison during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts after a dunk in the first half against the Saint Louis Billikens during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines bench reacts in the second half against the Saint Louis Billikens during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center.
(Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Saint Louis Billikens in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 21, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
(Ishika Samant, Getty Images)

Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with fans after defeating the Saint Louis Billikens in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 21, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
(Ishika Samant, Getty Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines dunks the ball against the Saint Louis Billikens in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 21, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
(Ishika Samant, Getty Images)

Michigan Wolverines huddles during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Alabama Crimson Tide at United Center.
(Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center.
(David Banks, David Banks-Imagn Images)

Michigan Director of Basketball Operations KT Harrell, left, and Director of Player Development Drew Williamson celebrate a play against Alabama during the first half of NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 round at United Center in Chicago on Friday, March 27, 2026.
(Junfu Han, Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center.
(Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a basket against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Elliot Cadeau #3 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a basket against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Trey McKenney #1 and Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates the 90-77 win against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

Morez Johnson Jr. #21 and Roddy Gayle Jr. #11 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 embraces Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines on the bench against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23, Aday Mara #15, and L.J. Cason #2 of the Michigan Wolverines react on the bench against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts in the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers during an Elite Eight game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center.
(Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts from the bench in the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers during an Elite Eight game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center.
(Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) dunks the ball in the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers during an Elite Eight game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center.
(Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

Elliot Cadeau #3, Yaxel Lendeborg #23, and Roddy Gayle Jr. #11 of the Michigan Wolverines react against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

"When this group got together, we all wanted to make it the national championship and win it," Lendeborg said. "We worked tirelessly on making sure that our mental was right, not just physical. And we all trust each other. We play hard for each other. We make extra plays for each other. We're going to do whatever we want for each other.

"So just being able to make it this far and continuing to want to get more, it means a lot."

Michigan is only two seasons removed from a team that lost 24 games. While quick turnarounds are more doable now with the transfer portal, building chemistry when there's a new coach and new players presents its own challenges.

Add in being thrust into the spotlight as a national title contender a month into the season, and Michigan very easily could have gone sideways.

"The most difficult part is that everyone starts getting so much more attention, advice. Literally everything they get more of," May said. "It's difficult not to make it about you because the people you're talking to are making it about you.

"There's just a lot of distracting information," May added. "And if you're not mature and you're not connected as a group and you're not willing to be held accountable by the staff and each other, then it's not going to work. Once it creeps in it's almost impossible to weed it out. So our guys never let it in.

"They stayed the course and stayed about each other. And that's ultimately why we're here," May said. "We weren't a super team, but these guys became super teammates."

Though Michigan's Fab Five never won an NCAA title, they changed college basketball with their outsized personalities, baggy shorts and black socks. These Wolverines aren't going to have that kind of influence, but they've got a similar brand of fun.

Lendeborg is as goofy as he is good, and Gayle isn't far behind. They all love to hype each other up — when Lendeborg said Will Tschetter deserved a shout out for his toughness, Nimari Burnett woofed in response — and their tightknit chemistry isn't forced.

They might be stealing people's souls, but they're having a blast doing it.

"That's our main thing. We say before every game to just go out there and have fun," Cadeau said. "We're not worrying about our stats, not worrying about the scoreboard."

Michigan cruised through the regular season, not losing a single Big Ten road game. Its two losses, to Wisconsin in January and Duke in late February, were by a combined eight points. They spent time at No. 1 and were never ranked lower than third after Dec. 1.

But the Wolverines didn't have their usual swagger in the Big Ten tournament. When they lost to Purdue in the title game, it wasn't even that big a surprise.

It also might have been the best thing for them.

"Watching another team cut down the nets, feeling that was something that we didn't want to feel again," Gayle said.

Message received.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan basketball makes statement with win over Tennessee in Elite 8

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Michigan sends message: You don't want to play them

See the best photos of Michigan basketball's run to 2026 Final Four

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See the best photos of Michigan basketball's run to 2026 Final Four

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