Yaxel Lendeborg’s 20-point, 11-rebound double-double led the way as No. 7 Michigan capped a dominant run to the Players Era men’s championship with a 101-61 rout of No. 12 Gonzaga on Wednesday in Las Vegas.
Michigan (7-0), which rolled into the tournament’s $1 million title round with blowouts of 40 points vs. San Diego State and 30 points vs. No. 21 Auburn, delivered perhaps its most impressive performance of the three-day event vs. Gonzaga (7-1).
The Wolverines led wire-to-wire and built a 10-point lead just 3:10 into the contest. Both of Lendeborg’s made 3-pointers came in the game’s first 110 seconds, and the double-digit lead was surrendered just once, and only for 44 seconds.
The opening salvo set the tone for a balanced Wolverines attack. Five Michigan scorers put up at least 11 points, including Trey McKenney with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 3 of 5 from 3-point distance.
Nimari Burnett’s 4-of-4 shooting from deep paced Michigan to a 13 of 27 game shooting beyond the arc. Burnett finished with 14 points. Aday Mara added 13 points and Morez Johnson Jr. scored 11 points.
Elliot Cadeau, who scored five points, dished 13 assists on a night that 29 of the Wolverines’ 36 made field goals were assisted.
Defensively, Michigan’s length frustrated Gonzaga’s offensive rhythm and ability to score both from the perimeter and in the paint. While the Zags finished with 34 points in the paint, they shot just 33.8% from the floor overall — and were 3 of 22 from 3-point range.
Mara and Lendeborg each blocked two shots, while Johnson rejected three.
Michigan’s frontcourt rotation shut down Zags season-long leading scorer Graham Ike, holding him to 0-of-9 shooting from the floor. Braden Huff, who matched Tyon Grant-Foster’s team-high 14 points, fouled out after logging 25 minutes.
With its loss, Gonzaga leaves Las Vegas 2-1 and the recipient of $500,000 in NIL revenue per the Players’ Era format. Michigan takes home $1 million along with its championship.
–Field Level Media
