Wegs Pool Contest: Wolverines!!!

The fastest 3 weeks in sports, and it is bittersweet. So, exciting to start and then it is over with a Champion.

Championship Game Recap

Wolverine Weather the Storm

• 2 Seed UConn was 6-0 in NCAA Title games coming into Monday, and Coach Danny Hurley had his kids believing. 1 Seed Michigan was the best team entering the game – scoring 90 points a game. So, what would give in this matchup?
• In the first half, the Huskies weathered an early Michigan storm down 9 to 4 to start. However, they started playing their game, which is grinding the clock down, playing tough D and limiting fast breaks. UConn flipped the early start to a 18-15 lead at 9:08 in the first. However, give the Wolverines credit, they missed every single 3 point shot in the first half, but they scored over and over in the paint and actually led at the half, 33-29, despite UConn hitting 5 triples and actually outrebounded the bigger Wolverines. Michigan didn’t hit a single shot outside of the lane or foul line.
• In the 2nd half, Michigan started to establish their dominance. Despite their best player, F Yaxel Lendeborg (13 points on 4 of 13 shooting) really struggling to hit shots, Michigan stretched the lead to 11 with 12:58 to play. Still, the Huskies grinded. UConn missed their first 11 three point shots in the 2nd half – which there probably should be an investigation of that rim in Lucas Oil, but they kept getting offensive rebounds (20 to 10) that led to 2nd shot baskets to keep close enough. Finally, with 5:26 remaining UConn hero, Braylon Mullins (11 points, 7 rebounds) hit a triple to cut the lead to 8 and another with 4:42 to play to cut the lead to 7. Michigan would push the lead back up, but UConn never quit. F Alex Karaban (17 points, 11 rebounds) hit a three to cut the lead to 6 – 62-56 with 2:31 to play. Could UConn do the impossible again? This time, Michigan G Trey McKenney (9 points, 8 boards) hit a big three (their 2nd on the game) for the 65-56 lead. UConn would make one more push – C Tarris Reed (13 points, 14 rebounds) hit 2 free throws (65-58 – 1:22 left), then G Elliott Cadeau (19 points, 3 rebounds) hit 2 free throws (67-58- 1:07 remaining). Karaban would hit 2 free throws (67-60 – 53 seconds left), then a steal and G Solo Ball (11 points) hit a banked in 3 to cut the lead to 67-63 with 37 seconds. G Roddy Gayle (4 points, 4 rebounds) missed 2 free throws for Michigan after they had hit 20 straight in the game. Then, UConn’s Karaban finally missed a late 3, and McKenney closed the door with 2 free throws to get the lead to 69-63 and the game was over. Michigan becomes the first Big Ten National Champion since 2000, and gets their 2nd Natty moving to 2-6 all time in the Title Game. Head Coach Dusty Maye wins his first Title in the state he is from, and G Elliott Cadeau gets the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. Plus, Michigan becomes the first team to win the title with 5 transfers in NCAA history.

Wegs Pool Final Standings

As I mentioned, we already had a winner who is a 2 time winner now, but the Wolverines’ win set the final standings in place along with the very low scoring total for the tiebreakers.

Thank you all for participating. Until next year.

Wegs